Walking Backwards on a Tightrope
by Lithos Maitreya
Summary: ...is actually a fairly common trick in the circus. It's also the closest equivalent to going backwards in time. So why should only one person go back in time if anyone who knows how can do it? It's just like walking backwards on a tightrope. And more than one person in a war-torn world of Ninja wants to change things. To fix things. Time travel fic.
1. Prologue: Off of the platform

**A/N: This is out of character for me. I normally try to go only with the relatively imaginative and steer clear of clich****é****s, but I love these things. I don't even know why. Why do I enjoy watching Naruto and the rest going back in time to fix things? But I do.**

**So, I asked myself, how can I write one of these without it being a TOTAL clich****é****? Answer: Do something with it that no one else has tried. I haven't seen this before, so I ran with it. I asked myself, what's time travel like?**

**I answered, like walking backwards on a tightrope.**

**And then I realized that walking backwards on a tightrope is, in fact, something every tightrope walker does – without being aware of the other tightrope walkers.**

**I know I should be working on my other stuff, but this wouldn't go away. Gotta hunt the plot bunny, y'know? So I'll start this and see what happens. Enjoy.**

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**Disclaimer: I'm only putting this once. I own nothing but whatever you don't recognize as being copyrighted. That means I own tidbits of the concept and of the plot.**

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**And now…**

_**Walking Backwards on a Tightrope**_

Or,

_**Unfortunately Common Circus Tricks**_

_Prologue: Off of the Platform_

* * *

The young man stood among the ruins. He was alone – a fact which was agonizing. All around him were the shells of old buildings and the bodies of friends and enemies. All dead.

The kunai he still held clutched in his hand finally clattered to the debris-coated ground as he sank to his knees. His blue eyes were wide and unseeing, his face perfectly blank. Slowly, a tear trickled from the left eye and rolled down his cheek, dropping off of his chin, but it was not followed. The pure truth hadn't yet sunk in.

_Kit… _his unseen companion whispered in his mind, his deep voice soft with worry.

The young man made no reply. He simply stared at nothing. He had only just awakened from unconsciousness after having been struck in the battle. And this sight was what greeted him.

"Damn it…" he murmured without inflection. The words rang hollow, unable to express the emotions that were even now just beginning to blossom in his heart. They were all dead – dead, captured, enslaved, or enemies.

To avoid thinking emotionally, he began to blankly list names in his mind, carefully not attaching any meaning to the syllables. Ino, Chouji, Tenten, Lee, Gai, Neji, Kiba, Kakashi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune, Asuma, Kurenai, Konohamaru, Udon, and Sai… dead. Moegi, Temari, Kankuro, and Sakura… enslaved with jutsu. Shino, Gaara, and Shikamaru… captured and held captive. Sasuke… an enemy – undeniably so. And Hinata…

Hinata… dead.

At last a scream tore free of his lips. He cried out, pouring into the shout all of his rage, his sorrow, his fear, his loss, and his desire for vengeance. More tears began to leak from behind closed lids as his azure eyes let loose their load of emotional turmoil.

His former unwanted tenant and now closest remaining friend waited for a time as he broke loose with his emotions and then spoke as he lay spent on the ruined ground. _Well, if this isn't screwed up, I don't know what is._

The young man almost smiled. Almost. "No kidding," he muttered in a hoarse voice – his throat hurt from his screams.

_Well, at least there are a few to rescue, _said the other, trying to cheer him up.

It didn't work particularly well. "I'll try," said the blue-eyed blond dully. "I don't have much of a chance of success, but I don't have anything else to lose, now do I?"

_This isn't like you, Naruto, _said Kurama softly. _What happened to the boy who never gave up while he still had one thing to fight for?_

"He's dead," muttered Naruto in anguish. "He'll be buried alongside Hinata. I can see the gravestone now: Hyuuga Hinata, Born: Year 254 Shinobi Era; Died: Year 271 Shinobi Era – or rather Year 1 Madara Era."

_I doubt that, Kit, _murmured the Kyuubi. _Evil never lasts. I doubt Madara's empire will outlive him – and however long he endures, he won't survive an age of the world. It is still year 271 of the— _Suddenly he broke off as though a thought had occurred to him.

Naruto, feeling his sudden excitement, blinked. "What?" he asked. "What is it?"

_Year 271… _mumbled Kurama, _and it's only April…_

"What?" Naruto asked. "What is it?"

Kurama didn't reply immediately. He seemed deep in thought, and his mounting excitement and glee shocked the blond. _Naruto… _he began slowly. _What if I could give you a way to… to go back? Prevent all of this from ever having happened?_

Naruto's blue eyes widened. "Time travel…" he whispered. "Is that possible? Is there a jutsu for it?"

In the darkness of its cage in Naruto's mind, the Kyuubi grinned. _Yes, _it said simply.

"How?" Naruto asked in his mind, shifting to the instantaneous means of internal conversation he and Kurama shared.

The Nine-Tailed Fox closed his eyes, recalling ancient memories. _Every three hundred years, the five stars of Chizu, Suizu, Kazu, Fuuzu, and Kuuzu come into alignment in a perfect regular pentagon with the North Star equidistant from each one. Upon the night of this alignment, which will be on May seventeenth, there is a ritual which may be performed which will transport the user back in time exactly five years. Their soul is placed within the body they bore at that time, or if no such body exists, then one is created with the age of the mind travelling. This will place you just before your Genin exams, back in the academy. You will not yet have lost any of your friends – only your parents._

"And if we fail, we just wait five years and do it again!" laughed Naruto, a glorious lightness seeming to come into his chest at the thoughts occurring to him. A second chance – something almost no one ever got. And _he _was the lucky one.

_Ah… no, _said the Kyuubi quickly. _We'll only get one attempt. The Five Sacred Stars, as they are called, will follow the user of the jutsu to the past. Otherwise the world would be in an eternal five-year loop as first one and then another being went back in time. No, we can only try once, and if it becomes even worse that time, it's on no one's heads but ours._

"Worse?" laughed Naruto mirthlessly. "How could it be worse?"

_They could __**all **__be dead,_ said Kurama flatly. _And there are other, worse alternatives, I am sure, that are beyond the scope of even my imagination. Do not underrate the risks. All of your enemies will be back and ready to fight you, and though your spiritual energy – your Yin chakra – will remain great, your physical Yang chakra will be back to that which you bore as an immature preteen. Are you still willing to assay this?_

Naruto's face was completely composed as he answered, "Do you even need to ask? How do we do the ritual?"

…_It will be painful, _said the Kyuubi. _You will have to collect many ingredients of odd kinds, and finally the ritual itself is frankly agonizing._

"Then let's get started," Naruto said aloud, opening his blue eyes, which were blazing with renewed purpose. Lee would have been proud, in that moment, of the 'flames of his youth'. But Lee was dead. _And soon, _Naruto swore to himself, _he won't be._

* * *

Sasuke sat brooding on a small rock in the forests outside of what was left of Konoha – not that there was much left of Konoha. Tied to a tree near him was Gaara, barely conscious. Beside the chained Kazekage stood Sakura, and though she stood erect the lack of pupils in her eyes and the oddly stiff way she held herself showed that she was likely less conscious than Gaara.

Sasuke looked at the two of them for a moment, and then looked away again, staring into space. He was waiting for Madara to arrive to pick him, his captive, and his new thrall up in some fast-travel jutsu.

"I expect you're quite happy," said Gaara suddenly.

Sasuke didn't move. Gaara was surprisingly resilient – most people would have been in a stupor for hours more. Damnable former jinchuuriki.

"After all, you've finally succeeded at your goal," said the young Kazakage. "Konoha is destroyed. That's what you wanted, isn't it? Although, I do wonder how you're going to explain Naruto's death to Madara. He won't be happy that he has to wait ages for the Kyuubi to reform, I expect."

"Naruto's not dead," said Sasuke shortly, still not looking at Gaara. "If I was able to kill that fool, I'd have done it ages ago."

"You wouldn't," said the redhead softly. "You_ do_ have that strength, Uchiha. Don't fool yourself."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I can't kill him," he said simply. "I've tried time and again."

"You can," insisted Gaara, "But you won't. You may have buried your heart, Uchiha, but he's carrying a new one for you. You can feel it, can't you? You can kill anyone, but you _won't _kill him, because you care about him."

"Sakura," said Sasuke without inflection, "gag him."

Sakura obeyed instantly, leaving Sasuke to wish she hadn't. Now, instead of listening to someone telling him the truth, he had to listen to his own mind, echoing it back at him.

He sighed. "Sakura, take off his gag."

Again, the girl obeyed instantly. Gaara didn't start speaking right away, so Sasuke opened the conversation. "What do you want from me?"

"Me?" Gaara asked in surprise. "Nothing, really. Not from you. From Akatsuki, I'd like my freedom and my siblings and the lives of my comrades and subordinates that have died, but those I don't want from you, in particular."

"Then why are you trying to play on the strings of a heart that doesn't exist anymore?" asked Sasuke softly.

"I'm not," said Gaara, matching his tone, "because I don't need to."

The Kazekage fell silent. Then, after a time, he spoke again. "Are you happy?"

"No," said Sasuke honestly.

"What would make you happy?" the other boy asked.

Sasuke didn't answer, because he didn't know.

"Try, 'feeling regret for what you've done, and then having no regrets,'" said the Sand-nin. "I did, just after the Chuunin Exams – do you remember them? It worked."

Sasuke's face didn't change, but his eyes seemed saddened. "That…" he murmured, "might have been nice."

"Meaning?" asked Gaara.

Sasuke turned a glare on him, offset by the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. "Meaning," he growled, "that I am, by this point, beyond the place where I can just… regret what I've done. It's too late for that – it has been for months."

"Then go back," said Gaara softly.

"What?" Sasuke asked, his eyes narrowing.

"If, Sasuke Uchiha," Gaara murmured, "There was a jutsu to go back in time to just before your Genin exam, taking with you your Eternal Mangekyo and all of your Yin chakra but going back to the body you bore at that time, would you use it?"

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"_Would you?_" Gaara seemed somehow intense – utterly focused on this one point.

"…Yes," Sasuke muttered, looking away. "Now stop giving me pointless questions."

"Why?" asked Gaara, ignoring him. "Would you follow the same path of hatred, Uchiha? Or would you forge your own ideal?"

"I…" Sasuke hated himself for not knowing. The answer should have been clear, whether one way or the other, but it wasn't. "I don't know. Enough with the hypothetical. Sakura, gag him."

"It's not hypothetical!" cried Gaara as Sasuke's enslaved former teammate gagged him. "The jutsu—mmph!"

"Take off the gag," said Sasuke, standing suddenly and staring at Gaara. As the gag came off, he came towards the Kazekage and grasped his collar. "This jutsu exists?"

"Yes," said Gaara. "Shukaku knows it. You can talk to him – you're the one Madara wants to synchronize with the Demonic Statue, aren't you?"

"You're certain?" Sasuke said, pushing killer intent into the words.

"Yes."

"Then I'm learning it."

* * *

Naruto grimaced in distaste as he began to smear the emblems on the ground in his blood as Kurama instructed. "This is too much like that bastard Hidan's techniques," he muttered.

_You must show your devotion to the aim of leaving this world and body, _replied the Fox. _At the end of this ritual, this body will be dead._

"I don't like that," said Naruto dully, but he continued without question. He trusted Kurama with a trust forged in war, and that trust wouldn't break over this.

He scattered the various odd minerals and plants in their assigned positions. This really was a very complicated ritual – he'd had to collect five kinds of salt; ten different rare berries; branches from two different trees, both of which couldn't be found in the Land of Fire; and an old sword. The sword was an odd one. It wasn't an artifact of some kind, just a sword that was a few years old and fairly rusty. Naruto honestly didn't know why he couldn't just use one of his kunai for whatever it was, but what Kurama said went.

At the end of everything, he lay in the center of the emblem – a five-pointed star in a pentagon – and, under Kurama's instruction, took up the rusty blade.

_Now the hard part, _said the Kyuubi. _You must impale yourself, striking the heart._

Naruto clenched his teeth. "Never expected to be doing this to myself," he muttered, holding the sword over himself. "Are you certain it's ready?"

_Touch the sword to your skin and see for yourself, _said Kurama.

The blade came into faint contact with the blond's chest, and instantly the emblem of blood on the ground lit up and glowed an ethereal blue color.

_It's ready, _said Kurama.

Without replying or hesitating another moment, Naruto thrust downward. There was an instant of agonizing pain…

…And then there was nothing.

* * *

Sasuke crept along the ceiling, moving more quickly and quietly than a civilian would have thought possible. It was time. Almost a month ago now he'd spoken with Shukaku, and the Racoon had told him the ways of the time-travel jutsu – the Ritual of the Left Hand of Twilight – and now it was time to put that knowledge into use. First things first, spring Gaara.

The Kazekage had practically begged on his knees to be taken with, and Sasuke, not seeing any good reason to refuse, had agreed. Together they had already set up the ritual, but Sasuke hadn't managed to get permission to take the prisoner for a walk on this night, so they had to do a jailbreak operation. Ironic, considering it was Sasuke who captured him in the first place.

Sasuke swore as he reached Gaara's cell. What were the odds? The guard was Suigetsu. Sasuke would try to diffuse this – pulling rank to get the former Mist-nin to allow Gaara out, but if necessary, then Sasuke's former teammate would die. After all, given the circumstances, it would only be temporary.

As Sasuke leapt down to the ground, he opened his mouth to speak, but before he even made a sound, Suigetsu handed him the keys. Sasuke blinked. "What…?"

"Just do me a favor," Suigetsu interrupted him with a slight grin. "Free me a little earlier this time."

Sasuke looked at Gaara, who was lying in bed in his cage, looking over at them. The Kazekage smirked at him slightly. Sasuke shrugged and nodded at Suigetsu, who stood away from the door, allowing Sasuke to open it. He did, and Gaara sat up, swung his legs off of the slab that served as a bed, and stood.

"Come on," Sasuke told the redhead. Gaara stepped out of the small cell and nodded at him.

"Let's go," said the Sand-nin. Sasuke made to turn away, but Suigetsu stopped him.

"One more thing," said the would-be member of the Seven Swordsmen. "You've got your revenge now, Sasuke, and having been here through all this, I'm tired. You are too – I can see it in your eyes. Sasuke… don't do it again. Not the same way."

"I'll make my own mind," grunted the Uchiha. "And I'll do it there."

Suigetsu looked at him for a long moment and then nodded. "All right," he said, clapping his team leader on the shoulder. "Good luck."

Sasuke just grunted in reply. Turning, he led Gaara away.

They soon got out of the Akatsuki base and made for the glade where they had readied the ritual. It was dusk when they reached it. It was just as they'd left it, thankfully.

Sasuke nodded to Gaara and lay upon his pentagonal emblem. Gaara took position on his. As one, they took up the old blades beside them.

"Damn you, Uchiha Sasuke!" screamed Madara's voice, and at that instant the Akatsuki's leader stepped into the clearing. "I will not allow this!" he cried. "I have done too much since then!"

There was no time to hesitate. As one, Gaara and Sasuke plunged the swords into their chest. The twin rituals exploded into light, blinding Madara.

When the light cleared, there was nothing but formless void where the world had been – it was gone, replaced by the past. The future was without form, like clay; and those who knew the arts could now once again shift its shape as though it were on a potter's wheel.

It was time to try again.

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**A/N: So? Good? I hope so. I hope, if you like this, you'll check out my other stories! The more readers I have, the more I write, which means two things: 1. You get more updates, and 2. I get better at writing so you get better updates.**

**Also, please review! Nothing I like better than a good, meaty review with CC and advice! Thanks, and farewell!**


	2. Chapter 1: Renewed

**A/N: I checked on my story yesterday. It was, only about twelve hours after posting, on page nine of the archive. So I've decided that, until I get at least a few people reading, I'm going to ignore my pattern of maximum weekly updates. So, here's another chapter on day two! A LOT of Sasuke here. He's got a lot to think about. Enjoy.**

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_Chapter 1: Renewed_

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Naruto's eyes fluttered open slowly. He looked up uncomprehendingly at the off-white ceiling over his head. Then he blinked, looked around. He sat up, his jaw slack.

He was in his old apartment in Konoha. The jutsu had worked.

_Of course it did, Kit, _said Kurama's voice in his head. _Don't tell me you doubted me._

_Of course not, furball,_ Naruto said to him in his mind. _It's just… wow. I never would have believed…_

_I know, _said the Kyuubi softly. _I know. But now we're here – time for business. Are you late for something?_

Naruto closed his eyes, thinking. _First priority has to be ascertaining the date, _he told the Fox. _Am I already a Genin, or still in the academy? Is it a day off, or should I go to whichever it is today? And what's the time? _He looked at the clock – 7:30. _So, unless it's a day off, I'm late, _he determined. _I think I had a calendar in here…_

The young man-turned-boy swung his legs off the bed and stood. He stretched, the proportions of his younger body feeling oddly different – his head felt a little too big for his shoulders – and opened the door of his bedroom, heading out into his, well for want of a better phrase, 'other room'. His apartment consisted of three rooms – the bedroom, the bathroom, and the 'other room' – a combined dining room, kitchen, recreation room and study (not that he had ever really used the latter two, as he remembered).

There was the calendar, on the wall by his fridge. He made his way over to it – it looked to be Sunday. Good, he was off for the day. His next priority had to be determining where he would go the next day.

He could no longer remember the exact date of his graduation to Genin, unfortunately, but he guessed it had been either late May or early June – and it was still the middle of May. So, he decided, the Academy, almost certainly. Still, he should comb the apartment for his headband – if it was present, he'd graduated.

He looked around and sighed. Only now did he remember just how disorganized he'd been when he was this age. He'd improved since, but he was now back at the beginning. With a groan, he threw himself at the first pile of junk.

* * *

Sasuke awoke, but his eyes remained closed and his breathing remained steady. This was a trait that he'd developed through long years of potential threats hanging over him constantly. It allowed him to probe himself and his surroundings somewhat without anyone watching able to detect him.

He was in a bed, he felt. His head seemed oddly large and his body felt too small. His body was tangled in the sheets around him – a sure sign of something odd. In the past few years, he had learned to sleep in perfect stillness so as to avoid presicely this – it hampered his motion should he need to do something instantly.

Fortunately, he could detect no sign of a threat, despite these little oddities. Deciding that he could determine no more without opening his eyes, he did so. As he looked over at the window (he was on his side) it was as though he'd been punched in the gut. He sat up, looked around.

He knew this room. This was where he'd slept in the Uchiha Compound. He was back at the beginning, before Orochimaru, before Madara, before Itachi's death.

The feeling was unbelievably freeing.

Gaara would be over at Sunagakure, he decided. He would leave the Sand-nin to his own devices for now. Idly he wondered what changes he would forge, imagining how different the Chuunin Exams might go, with Gaara and himself so altered.

_There'll be time for that,_ he decided. There were months before the Chuunin Exam, if the calendar on his wall was any judge. But now, he had something else to determine.

What the hell was he doing?

Was he here to follow a path of vengeance, but shortened and allowing him to avoid his mistakes from the previous attempt, or was he here to pursue an entirely different course?

And of course, there was the ever-present enigma of Naruto. He'd been so in the future, and now he was again in the past. Was he an enemy or a friend? Did Sasuke want to kill him or embrace him?

Sasuke fell, landing seated on the bed. Cradling his head in his hands, he wondered how it was possible to be so conflicted. Then, after a short period of inactivity, he stood again. He didn't know what to do, so he would decide as time passed. He would give Naruto his short at converting him.

And, frankly, a large part of him hoped the young Namikaze-Uzumaki would succeed.

But now he opened his door and made his way down into the kitchen below. He prepared a small meal for himself and ate in silence, forcing himself not to dwell on his course for the future. All manner of planning was futile, he was sure – not with Naruto, the most unpredictable of all Ninja, on his team and the uncertainty that was obvious of the exact and far-reaching repercussions of each of his actions. He was certain, for instance, that just because a dice rolled last time had come up a five, it was not any more likely to be a five this time than any number. All of the chances were now to be re-rolled. Who knew where the odds would take him this time?

And Gaara was here. That, too, would be certain to have some kind of odd repercussion. There was no way of predicting ANYTHING. Every battle might go differently. Every fork might be taken differently. Every choice might be decided differently.

When he was done eating, he cleared the table, washed the dishes, and neatly put them away. After this was done, he was disappointed, because now he had to decide what to do.

With a shrug, he resigned himself to what he really had no choice but to do, except by just staying home. Stepping out of his door, he walked the silent avenues of the Uchiha Compound, and then made his way out into the streets of the village he had intended to destroy.

As he walked among villagers, whose faces ranged in expression from respectful to pitying, the idea of simply making for the Foundation headquarters and killing Danzo now came to him – or simply destroying the other two elders immediately. But he dismissed the idea, realizing that despite all the strength of his jutsu and Yin chakra, he was still no match for the ANBU and Foundation in this weak, youthful body.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun!" a voice came suddenly to his ears. A voice he knew a little better at this time of his life than he wanted to. Sakura had found him.

Without the slightest change of expression, he pushed off of the ground and, with a speed even he shouldn't have possessed at this age, made a chakra-assisted leap onto a nearby roof and then leapt down into the adjacent street. _Hopefully that'll keep her off of my back for at least a few minutes, _he thought without conviction. _To think just yesterday she was enslaved by my jutsu…_

That thought hurt him more than he'd have liked. Sakura had always been an odd point. He'd have liked to say that since leaving the village she'd meant nothing to him, but it really wouldn't have been true. Only in his darkest times had he ever really felt like killing her – the rest of the time he thought that if she came before him, he'd be most likely to send her away as gently as he could. No matter what he himself said to the contrary, after all, they were both fellow members of Team Seven. Not much could change that, though he might want it to.

Thoughts of Team Seven, unfortunately, brought him back to the most irksome source of his own second-guessing and half-wishes – Naruto. Of course, it didn't help that his feet had on some subconscious command carried him to a street corner which gave him an absolutely perfect view of his blond former/to-be teammate's run-down apartment.

He stopped there and, against the wishes of a large part of his mind, looked up at the small area for a time, thinking. Remembering.

"Sasuke-kun!" cried Sakura again, catching up to him. "Hi! How are you today?" she asked, somewhat breathlessly.

"Fine," he said without thinking. It was surreal, being back to the point where he'd still been the object of Sakura's affection rather than the main object of her fear and hatred.

"I'm good too, thanks for asking," she said happily in classic Sakura style – he remembered her as always being so obsessed with receiving his attention that she'd almost had herself convinced that she actually did.

In an instant, a decision was made. _Screw the consequences,_ he thought. He always had felt surprisingly guilty about his treatment of Sakura. He couldn't of course give her what she really wanted, which was his love, but he could at least give her what she deserved – his attention as a classmate.

"I didn't," he interrupted her. She blinked at him in surprise – he knew he'd never done this before. "I didn't ask how you were doing," he said, turning to face her – another thing, he'd never really done last time. "But I will now. How are you?"

She stared at him for a second and then stuttered, "I'm, uh, great. Th-thanks for, uh, asking." Then she seemed to compose herself and quickly transitioned back into her normal pre-recorded tangent. "Well, Sasuke-kun, if you're not busy, do you want to go to lun—"

"No," he cut her off, barely containing the urge to roll his eyes. It was amazing, really, how he'd been able to reduce this girl of almost genius-level IQ into an idiotic, fawning fangirl. If only he'd been able to do something similar to Shikamaru. That would save a lot of problems from the damnable tactician.

…On second thought, not really. Bad mental images.

"No, I won't go on a date with you," he said, forcing himself to continue holding her gaze – he'd started this, and he'd be damned if he wouldn't finish it. "But if there's something you want to talk to me about as a classmate and not as some idol, then feel free."

She stood there in amazement, staring at him. Now he did roll his eyes. "God," he said. "There's more to life than some ridiculous crush, Sakura." With that said, he turned back and looked up at the old apartment again, determined to give her the next move.

He half expected her to find some excuse to leave – she was way out of her comfort zone, he knew – but she surprised him. "Well, uh, what are you looking at?" she asked, following his gaze.

_It's a start, _he thought, almost grinning, idly wondering how she'd have acted if he ever had taken her on a date. She'd probably have been unable to think of anything to talk about and gone home ashamed of herself – or perhaps she'd have been to drunk on the high of defeating Ino to have bothered with the latter. "You see that apartment?" he asked her, pointing the object of his attention out to her.

"Uh, yeah…" she said, clearly very unsure of her footing. "W-what about it?"

"Calm down, first of all," said Sasuke, rolling his eyes again. Now that he was in the middle of it, her actions suddenly weren't such an annoyance to him as they were just an obstacle he felt compelled to help her overcome. She couldn't stay obsessed over him – that would only be detrimental to her, and since it would be no good to him whatsoever, all he wanted to do was avoid inflicting that pain on her. "Look at it this way…" he stopped. "Actually, never mind," he said. "That was a bad idea. Look, stop looking at me like an idol, like I said. Right here, right now, I'm a classmate. And I want to be treated as such."

For a moment she stared at him with eyes almost glazed with her glorified perception of him, and he wondered what on earth made him so appealing to her and to Ino. He was nothing more than a boy with a misguided perception of the world and a darkened view of life. What was _good _about that? Even he was repulsed by himself – his only drive was vengeance, and that, as he himself knew well, led nowhere near happiness. It only led to pain. It was a path he followed only because he didn't know how to turn aside.

Then she seemed to shake herself, and he was astonished by her ability to control herself. He'd made his desires clear, and she was willing to conform. "Okay," she said. "Uh, sorry."

"If you're going to stutter about it, don't be," he said, causing her to blush. "Now, do you know who lives in that apartment?" he asked her, wondering how well she knew Naruto at this point, if at all.

"No," she said, blinking. "Should I?"

"No," he said slowly. "No, I guess not. You know Naruto?"

She nodded vehemently. "That idiot! Does _he _live here, then?"

He nodded. "Is that all you think about him, then?" he asked softly. "That he's an idiot?"

"Well, yeah," she said looking at him oddly. "Why, do you…" her voice faded, and her eyes widened as a though occurred to her. "Sasuke-kun, are you—"

"I'm not gay," he said instantly, predicting her questions, "And I'm not stalking Naruto."

"Oh… okay, then," she said, sounding relieved – and, oddly, a little disappointed.

_Damn fangirls and their perverted tendencies, _Sasuke thought, barely suppressing a shudder. "Have you ever wondered why he lives in a place like this?" he asked, gesturing to the slums around.

"Well, he doesn't have much money, does he?" Sakura said. "He's an orphan."

"So am I," said Sasuke sardonically.

She blushed. "Well, yeah, but you've got the Uchiha fortune."

"And why didn't he inherit any of his parents' money? Do you know?" Sasuke asked, almost certain she wouldn't.

She blinked in surprise. "No," she said, slowly. "Maybe his parents were poor?"

"Maybe," said Sasuke, but at the same time he thought, _I can't believe we were all this stupid! I mean really, how many Nordic blonds has this village turned out over the years? The Fourth wasn't poor, so why doesn't Naruto have the money he should? Why doesn't he live in the Namikaze estate? _He knew the answer, of course; anything given to Naruto of his father's could be used to trace the boy back to being his father's son by the man's enemies. Sasuke's questions could really be summed into one: _Why is life so unfair? _Why on earth was he, a boy with nothing but dark ambitions, given so much while the one who deserved it all was left in the slums?

Perhaps… perhaps it was because of the circumstances of his upbringing that Naruto had become the upbeat, strong young man he had. But enough was enough.

And in that moment, Sasuke chose his path. Danzo was his enemy. So were the elders. But Konoha itself he would forgive for his friend – for Naruto. Sasuke's path would be different this time. _No matter what, _he swore to himself, _This time I'll be the friend Naruto deserves._

"Sasuke?" Sakura's voice broke into his reverie. She was looking at him worriedly, and only now did he realize his face had set itself into a mask of determination. He allowed his muscles to relax. "Is something wrong?"

"No," he said, smiling slightly at her, causing her, despite her admirable self-control, to blush again. "Nothing. Call it… an epiphany."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked bewilderedly.

His smile widened a little. "Make of it what you will," he said.

As he turned and walked away down the street, he thought he heard her mumble, "So… cool…"

Then she started to follow him, and tried to start another line of conversation. As he'd asked, it wasn't related to dating.

And for once, he didn't mind in the slightest.

* * *

**Now, there's one question I'm sure is foremost in many of your minds. Is this a SasuSaku fic? Well, my readers, I invite you to guess. Nyeck nyeck…**

**Anyway, this came out with a lot of Sasuke, as I said and you saw. I didn't intend that originally, and Naruto is supposed to end up with more of a spotlight by story's end. But for now Sasuke's character has got a lot of evolution to do. Here's the first, all-important part of it. Hope you liked the chapter. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 2: Redevelopment

**A/N: Well, I'm on a roll! Here's another chapter, again written in one day! Whee! I hope Sasuke wasn't too out of character, but remember, I' portraying him as having gotten tired of all of the malice in his life. He's willing to finally just be a teammate. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

**Arc One**

_Chapter 2: Redevelopment_

* * *

Naruto sighed in relief. He had not only combed every inch of his apartment for his headband, he'd also sorted all of the random junk in it into much neater systems, taking advantage of the storage facilities at his disposal – i.e. dresser, closet, et cetera. He was now ninety-nine percent certain that he was not a Genin.

He sat down on a chair and relaxed for a time. It had struck him as he searched that, of course, Ninja didn't get weekends off. If he had been a Genin, he'd have been expected to report in even on Sunday. Fortunately, he was still an Academy student, so he wasn't late for anything.

Still, there were things to do, not least of which was getting out and exploring the town. He had to see it burgeoning in all its glory to renew his purpose – protecting it – in his mind.

_I don't think it's struck you, Kit, _said Kurama in his mind, _but these foolish villagers still hate you at this point. I don't think watching that in action will really help you in wanting to protect them._

_It will,_ Naruto communicated to him. _Don't worry, furball. I know they hate me. But if they can afford to hate the Jinchuuriki in their midst, then they haven't really known a true enemy – and I'll do anything to try to keep it as close to that as possible._

…_You've gotten wise, Kit, _murmured the Kyuubi. _You're not the whelp I was encased in years ago._

_Had to, furball, _said the boy matter-of-factly. _You don't take on groups of S-ranked Missing-nin with an immature mindset. _After a moment's thought, he amended, _Well, not more than once._

Kurama chuckled. _No, I suppose not. Well, this should be fun, anyway. To watch, I mean._

_What's that supposed to mean? _Naruto asked, blinking.

_You're starting over, Kit. _The Fox was laughing now, softly. _Those who were precious to you in the future now think of you as no more than the dead-last class clown who nobody likes, and who isn't trusted by their parents. It'll be interesting, seeing you regain their trust._

_But I __**will **__regain it, _Naruto swore. _They won't be able to ignore me. Not this time._

Inside his jailor/friend's mind, the Nine-Tailed Fox grinned. _I believe it. Now get going – there's much yet to do._

With a nod and a grin, Naruto stood up and stepped out of his apartment and into Konoha. He was just in time to see Sasuke leave with Sakura in tow, heading away from his apartment. He wondered what Sasuke was doing in the slums – the proud Uchiha had, at least at this point in time, never come around this area of the village to his knowledge. Odd.

Still, the sight of the two of them brought a wide smile to Naruto's lips. _This time, _he swore to Sasuke in his mind, _I'll not only make you not go to Orochimaru and the Akatsuki, I'll make sure you don't even want to!_

_Tall order, Kit, _Kurama said quietly. _That boy is dangerous. You know it. It'd be safer just to kill him now – he couldn't cause all of the problems later._

_Shut up, furball, _snarled Naruto, but without rancor. He knew his tenant's thoughts on the matter – they reflected his own on the future Sasuke. That Uchiha was irredeemable. _But this one isn't, _he thought. _You know it, old fox. Look through my memories and tell me that Sasuke wasn't redeemable if things hadn't happened just like they did._

There was a moment of waiting as the Kyuubi considered, and then he said, _There's a chance, I suppose. But do me a favor and don't overvalue him. I know you. You'll want to throw your life away for him. Don't. Remember, he killed the Hyuuga girl._

_Hinata! _roared Naruto, and now there was real rage in his voice. _You hang out in my mind, damn it; the least you can do is use the given name of the girl I love!_

_All right, Kit, sorry! _cried the Kyuubi, retreating the tendrils of his consciousness somewhat from Naruto's. _You're right. Sorry. Old habits die hard. _Kurama had, of course, always considered himself above humans, and he and Naruto were having difficulty keeping that superiority complex down. He had by this time realized that humans weren't as low as he'd thought. Naruto had proven that many times over.

Naruto sighed, calming himself. _I know. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. Sorry about that. And you're right. If it's him or me, I'll go for me – unless things go different enough this time that I think he deserves it and will continue to deserve it._

_That's as good as I'm likely to get, I guess, _said Kurama dully. _Just take care of us, would you?_

_Don't worry, furball, _grinned Naruto. _All else fails, I'll pull the seal. At least that'll save you._

_**No**__, _said the Kyuubi firmly. _Quite apart from everything else, all that'll do is turn me into a tool to be picked up and used by Madara at his leisure. I'll go down with you and reform slowly. That'll be a wrench in his plans._

_Aww, I'm touched that you care about me so much, _grinned Naruto. _Come here, you little furball._

_Shut up, _growled Kurama, _and start walking._

And Naruto did. Together they walked the streets of Konoha. The moment he stepped out into the road, the blond felt it. The terrible, heavy cold of many hate-filled gazes was palpable and, despite his assurances, it weighed him down. Still, he smiled, knowing that he'd already proven himself to these people. He didn't need to do it again. His goal now was protecting them – them and everyone else.

As he walked aimlessly among the masses, wandering through the village, he began to form a plan for the day in his mind. First, he would make for the outskirts of the village, where he would begin the long and slow process of redeveloping his body through physical training. After about an hour of this he would head for Ramen Ichiraku for lunch. When he'd eaten, he'd get back to training, and then he'd head back to his apartment in the evening for dinner and bed. He'd set his alarm for six in the morning instead of seven so he could get a bit of work in before eight, when he had to be at the academy.

This train of thought led him to realize how odd it was that he'd awoken at seven-thirty this morning. He remembered his early days – he'd slept into the afternoon almost invariably on them. His older spirit must have woken up earlier through discipline alone.

He soon reached the training grounds. They were just as he'd remembered them. Last time around he'd trained, yes, and he'd trained hard, but he'd never really done what he now needed to. In order to get his strength back, he'd have to push himself to the absolute limit every day and then press beyond that.

Thank Kami for Lee, or he'd never have been able to do that. But remembering the green-clad youth gave him the strength and understanding he needed for this. With a sigh, he began.

He started with handstand-pushups. Those were one of Lee's staples. Naruto had tried them once and found them ridiculously difficult. Now, though, difficulty was the only indicator of effectiveness that Naruto would accept.

He set his goal loftily. "If I can't get fifty of these…" he muttered to himself. "At the risk of sounding like Lee, I'll do… Ah, screw it! I'm _doing _fifty!"

He did, in the end, finish fifty – though by the end of it his arms were screaming for mercy – mercy that he would give them for a time while he worked on his legs and abdominals. But first he had to stretch. As the son of the Yellow Flash, he knew the value of speed better than most, and he knew that to achieve real speed he needed flexibility. He also knew that the best time to stretch was right after an exercise.

So he ran through a quick sequence of agonizing stretches designed to develop every single one of the muscles he'd just worked. By the end of that, his shoulders felt like putty just sitting on his bones.

Kami above, he was going to be sore tomorrow. With a sigh, he began a similar process on his legs. This one was more difficult in one way because he didn't think Lee had a really difficult exercise for the legs – he just ran massive numbers of laps. With weights on.

Weights! Now that was something Naruto needed to get his hands on. But first he had to come up with an exercise for his legs.

After a moment, it came to him. He would attempt to jump from tree to tree and similar stunts without the use of chakra. He didn't know for certain that it would work at all, but he could at least give it a shot.

After a few minutes, he had determined that it did work – and that it was extremely difficult.

After a while longer, he knew he couldn't continue with that. So he returned to the ground and began stretching his legs. Then he began work on his core. Sit-ups done with straightened legs a little above the ground should suffice.

They did, as the burning of his abdomen made clear several minutes later. Then came stretches. Again. By the time that was done, he knew he was overdue for lunch. Especially since his stomach was wrenching in hunger over all the calories he'd spent.

Grinning, he propelled himself back in the direction of the village. He fully expected to clean out Teuchi's stocks.

* * *

Sasuke's feet moved fluidly into position and his arms shaped the air like clay around him. It was like a dance, really. No wonder it had once been considered a form of meditation. He was practicing his katas – sequences of techniques meant to give shape to the basic knowledge of each move.

"No, stop," he said suddenly to the pink-haired girl at his side.

Sakura froze in her position. Sweat was beading on her brow at the exertion. Sasuke had been right in his assessment – Sakura hadn't really realized how physically difficult being a Shinobi would be back when she was in the academy. She was even having serious difficulty with the basic katas.

He fell out of his stance and shifted her arm's positions slightly, talking as he did so. "When you're doing a back-fist, your other hand should always be guarding your side. That's one of the human body's weakest points – and during this technique, it's totally exposed." This was completely basic – it was unbelievable that she didn't know it. "When practicing, you want to exaggerate your guard; that way, in a real combat situation where form gets lax, you'll still have the guarding hand about where it should be."

She nodded, blushing at his hand on her wrist. She really was terrible at taijutsu – that was something he needed to fix, which was exactly what he was doing now. Suddenly she spoke. "I-is this how you always s-spend your weekends? Training?"

"Pretty much," said Sasuke, getting back into his stance. "Now, focus on the kata, not on me."

He continued leading her though the forms, correcting her mistakes as they happened. It was a testament to her mental abilities that after he'd corrected a mistake once or possible twice, she didn't make it again. Most people just didn't have that much conscious control over their muscles. In some ways, she was almost as smart as Shikamaru.

After they'd gone through the basic katas he eased himself out of his stance. She followed suit, wincing in pain at the soreness of her muscles. "S-sorry," she mumbled, not looking at him. "You must th-think I'm ridiculously weak…"

Sasuke shrugged. "Strength comes to those who have a drive to it," he said. "I do. Not everyone does. Do you?"

She blushed slightly. "Uh, no… Not really…"

He nodded. "Then I wouldn't expect you to be strong. Find that drive, Sakura. That's where strength is."

"O-okay," she stuttered, blushing even more.

"And calm down," he said firmly. "It's natural for two people to train together. This was not, in any way, a date. If you try to one-up Ino and the rest of your little rabble with this, I'll be… displeased."

"…I know," she said, clearly disappointed, looking down.

"Cheer up," he said, and in homage to his brother, he lightly tapped her on the forehead. "Come on. You're probably hungry – I know I am. I know a good steamed food place. It's still not a date," he added quickly at the way her face lit up. "I'm just hungry, and it's only good manners to hang out a bit after training."

"Um, sure!" she said excitedly, and he was certain that no matter what he said, this was a date to her. Kami above – would he have to do something like this with Ino, too, just to fix this? He'd never liked Ino in particular – unlike Sakura, she'd never really grown into the strength she could bear. Sure, she was a good medic, but even there she was second to Sakura. Her clan's mental jutsu were her greatest redeeming factor – by the time of Konoha's destruction, she'd replaced her father as the Hokage's – Naruto's – main interrogation officer (after Ibiki; the torturer couldn't really be replaced).

Ah, screw it. So what if things went askew? Even if Sakura thought he liked her, it didn't matter, in the end. He'd tried to ensure she knew the truth, and if she refused to listen, her pain was her fault.

With these thoughts running through his head, he led her out of the forest to the main city. The two of them talked together as they went. And, as he simply enjoyed his time with his teammate-to-be, Sasuke wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I'm going to tell you right now, the first obstacles will start coming in a few chapters. Some of you may be able to guess what the first one will be. Please review! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 3: Recall

**A/N: No long note, I'm in a rush. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 3: Recall_

* * *

A new day dawned on groaning children and dragging feet. It was Monday, and the young Shinobi-to-be of the Academy were headed back to school after a weekend of relaxation.

Well, most of them had been relaxing.

Sakura groaned in pain at the soreness of her limbs. She'd watched Sasuke train before, of course – that was the classic thing for a fangirl to watch, though she herself wouldn't have put it that way. But to her it had never been more than a show of skill and strength. It had never struck her just how _hard _the training Sasuke did was.

She tried to massage some life back into her limbs all through the morning, but it didn't work too well. On the way to school, though, she ran into Sasuke again. It didn't strike her until later how odd that was – Sasuke lived in the Uchiha Compound, on the opposite side of the academy. "Hi, Sasuke!" she cried as she spotted him.

His head cocked slightly as he heard her. He turned to face her, face blank – but not cold at least, if not with the warmth it had borne the day before. "Sakura," he said with a nod. Then, with a slight grin, "Sore?"

She blushed. "Uh… yeah. How do you deal with it? It hurts!"

"I don't get sore easily anymore," he said. "But when I do, I stretch the muscles. It hurts, but it helps in the long run. Try it next time you do any kind of strenuous workout."

She nodded. "Thanks, I will. Anyway, let's go, we're barely on time!"

He nodded. "Lead the way."

* * *

Naruto's eyes opened and he screamed – an unfortunately shrill and very un-manly sound. The shriek lasted a few seconds and then he cut off, eyes wide, body rigid in bed.

_Sore? _chuckled Kurama.

_Shut up, furball, _snapped Naruto mentally. The workouts of the previous day had been beyond anything he'd ever done even in his own time, and his body of these previous years had been much weaker. He should have been more careful. Still, he needed to improve. The clock said that the time was six, and his alarm had just stopped ringing. Good; he had some time.

He slowly raised himself out of bed, letting the most painful of his muscles rest as much as possible. As soon as he was on the ground he began a stretching cycle to relieve the soreness. It was agony, but that was expected.

For the whole next hour he was stretching his aching muscles. By the end of it he at least felt like he'd manage through the school day. As soon as the clock struck seven he made his way to his counter and prepared himself some instant ramen for breakfast. He knew, of course, that this was not a nutritious way of life, and he had every intention of buying healthier food, but for now everything in his fridge was spoiled – some of it badly. Indeed, he was fairly certain that a boat of gravy he'd never thrown away had developed a complex little civilization, possibly with a religion and everything. He just hoped it took the little bastards a while to develop steam power and electricity.

…Okay, maybe that was a little exaggeration, but it was a fun thing to imagine. And the gravy did smell _really _bad.

In any case, after school today, he'd go shopping for something that wasn't junk food. He had the money for at least something a little better than this.

After he'd eaten he cleared out his fridge of all the spoiled foodstuffs – which was to say everything. As the last thing (the gravy) made its way to the trash, he knew he'd have to get the stuff out of the house or he'd suffocate in the night. So he then took the time to take his trash outside and throw it into the large bins from which it would be collected either by paid civilian workers or Genin on D-ranks. He'd collected trash enough to know that his bin was a staple Ninja route – no civilian wanted to collect 'that demon's' trash.

He rolled his eyes at the thought. What, did they think he contaminated his garbage with some king of demon-virus? Idiots. In reality, he knew, it wasn't a rational thought that caused the pattern – they simply associated him, and everything associated with him, with the Kyuubi attack. Still, it was annoying – especially since he'd had to collect his own trash too many times to count.

When he got back into his apartment and looked at the clock, he saw that it was already a quarter to eight. His eyes widened at the good fortune that he'd looked now – two minutes later and he'd have been late for the Academy.

In a moment he'd grabbed his backpack and was out the door, running up the road for the school he hadn't attended in almost half a decade.

* * *

Sasuke woke early – very early. He had been in the throes of a nightmare. This in itself was usual. Nightmares had been a constant companion since the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Watching the people he once thought of as friends die at his own hands would give them to anyone.

When he awoke, he was in a bad mood – and somehow, he couldn't really get into the same fervor over the ideas of protecting his friends as he'd been in the day before. That wouldn't do at all – he had no wish to wind up being unkind to Sakura today at the Academy; or anyone else, for that matter. He had to find some way to get himself psyched.

Suddenly it came to him. As the idea struck him he quickly prepared a breakfast for himself – an omlette with all of the good vegetables – and prepared himself to leave, changing into clothes suitable for the day and such. Once all of this was done, he left the house and took off down the lane of the Uchiha Compound at a jog.

He soon was outside of the walled Compound and in the wider Konoha. From there, rather than risk meeting someone he didn't want to deal with, he took to the roofs, leaping along them quickly and quietly.

Within a few minutes he had made his way back to the apartment where Naruto lived. When he was at a roof that would give him optimum viewing of the place he sat cross-legged, put his elbows on his knees, twined his hands together and lowered his chin onto the mat they made.

He simply looked at the apartment and thought about the boy within it. He would, at this time, still be the innocent, stupid, lovable preteen fool that he'd been forced to grow out of when Sasuke deserted. While growing out of it was good, Sasuke's desertion wasn't.

The kid, at this point in his life, had never known love. Even his parents' last acts had been sacrificing his happiness for the village. Sasuke didn't blame them; there hadn't been any better options and in the end it had turned out for the best – had the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki been anyone else he was sure Madara would have gotten his hands on the Fox long before Sasuke ever thought to use the jutsu.

The simple fact, though, was that love was something out of Naruto's reach at this point of his life; whether it was the love of a friend, a parent, a sibling, or a lover. And now Sasuke was psyched. Burning at the injustice that gave him all he needed and left Naruto alone and friendless, he swore anew that he would give Naruto the first of the above forms of love. He would be the friend the boy so desperately needed. One day, perhaps, they'd once again be like siblings, but this time, Sasuke would ensure that it was in a more positive light.

He sat there for a time longer, just contemplating the nature of his mission. After a time, his thoughts turned to Gaara. He wondered how the boy was doing. He was in a situation almost as bad as Naruto's, at this point of his life. It was actually worse, but that was largely his doing – accidentally. He'd brought the fear of his siblings upon himself by allowing the betrayal of his uncle to change him so. He'd been a relatively quiet Jinchuuriki until his uncle had betrayed him. Sasuke expected that he'd probably be even now trying to win back the love of his siblings – or perhaps his uncle hadn't even died yet.

Suddenly Sasuke checked his watch, wondering whether he was still on time. It was almost six – he'd been sitting for almost half an hour.

There were more productive things he could be doing – training, for one. He stood, looked one last time on his teammate-to-be's apartment, and leapt away from rooftop.

…Just in time to not hear Naruto's scream of awakening.

* * *

Naruto stood in the courtyard of the Ninja Academy. He held his position off to the side and leaning quietly against the wall. He'd arrived a little bit early, in the end, and school had yet to be called.

So he took the opportunity to acquaint himself with the surreal nature of what was going on around him. There, in another part of the courtyard, was Ino, just hovering around over nothing, looking a bit lost. Sasuke was likely early most of the time, Naruto realized, and Ino usually tried to be here too. The Uchiha didn't seem to be early today, tough – Naruto couldn't see him anywhere. There over in another corner, Shikamaru and Chouji were seated together. Naruto was honestly surprised they'd gotten here so early – Shikamaru's mother had probably forced him up early today over something or another.

And there, off to the side, seemingly trying to disappear into the walls, was Hinata. Naruto's heart swelled at the sight of her. From his perspective, she'd been dead for barely a month, and the wound was still fresh. All he wanted to do was to rush forward and embrace her.

_But you can't, _said Kurama flatly. _Not yet. Patience, Kit. She needs to grow a little. So do you, for that matter._

_I'm not an idiot, furball, _Naruto told him. After a moment's hesitation, he added, _Well, not that much, anyway. I know we can't be lovers yet – we're both only twelve, for Kami's sake! But you're not stopping me from being the friend I should have been last time._

_Nor would I want to— _Kurama cut himself off. _Look sharp! Uchiha at four o'clock!_

Naruto blinked. Slowly, trying to make the movement as casual as possible, he turned slightly to look at the entryway to the courtyard.

There was Sasuke, in the old blue turtleneck he'd worn in the old days. Sakura was beside him, talking to him. And he was talking back. Odd. Perhaps they'd been on better terms before becoming teammates, when Sasuke'd have to deal with her all the time? Who could say?

And then, suddenly, as though feeling eyes on him, the Uchiha turned and his black eyes met Naruto's blue ones. At once Naruto was struck dumb by a strange horror – the eyes he was looking into weren't the eyes of a preteen any more than his own were. If he didn't know better, he'd have sworn that Itachi was already dead and Madara had made himself known.

But then Sasuke looked away, back at Sakura, and Naruto shook the feeling off. Sasuke was a kid. Naruto was attaching his own meanings to something meaningless.

_I don't know, Kit, _said Kurama, almost nervous. _Those eyes did radiate with the chakra of an Uchiha at the peak of his strength._

_He's Sasuke, _said Naruto simply. _ That's natural, I'd say._

_Perhaps, _muttered the Kyuubi.

* * *

Sasuke's mind was not on what Sakura was saying, although he was able to respond correctly in spite of that. Naruto's blue eyes filled his mind. They'd seemed… different from how he'd remembered. Actually, they'd seemed far too close to his nearest memories for his liking. What was this? Had he ever really known Naruto at all? This boy didn't seem like an immature prankster.

He looked like the Hokage he would one day be.

Well, so be it. If he was Hokage, he was Sasuke's Hokage.

And then the bell rang, and the class was crowding into the Academy's doors. And Sasuke felt more at home than he had in years.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Review, please!**


	5. Chapter 4: Recapitulation

**A/N: Hey again, everyone! I've got another chapter. The ending should surprise you all. Anyway, there won't be a chapter tomorrow (unless I forget…). See, there's supposed to be a big strike on the site tomorrow to protest all of the cyberbullying and story removal. I'm not as passionate as some about it – I'm here to write, and I don't mind a few regulations, especially since I don't write the stuff that's not allowed anyway. But I really do despise these cyberbullying groups. Still, whatever – they leave me and the authors I love alone and I won't get in their faces and risk getting targeted. Anyway, I'm taking part in the strike – no going on site tomorrow. I don't ask anyone to do the same, but if you're passionate about this, you might consider it.**

**Anyway, here we are. By the way, has ANYONE noticed the pattern in my chapter titles? I intend to continue it until I run out of words. Regardless of pointless Easter-Eggs, enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 4: Recapitulation_

* * *

"Hello, class," said Iruka, smiling at the children once they'd all taken their seats.

"Hello, Iruka-sensei," the class chorused. Naruto only remembered this particular expectation just in time and even so lagged a little behind the rest of the group, but it wasn't particularly noticeable.

"Hello, said Iruka, his kind face growing into an even wider grin. "Now, before we begin today's lesson, let's recap on what we learned on Friday in case anyone got into their parents sake stores over the weekend."

_Or came back in time from five years in the future, _Naruto thought with a mental smirk even as he laughed outwardly at Iruka's joke. The Academy teacher had long since learned to review the previous lesson every Monday so as to prevent undue embarrassment and confusion.

Naruto listened attentively. That was another thing he'd never really done last time – the Academy's lessons had been a closed book to him until long after he'd graduated. This time he was determined to at least try to pick up some stuff – there were sure to be tidbits he'd never even learned last time.

The previous lesson had, apparently been on the strengths of each of the five main Chakra Natures, as well as their comparative strength – or, as Naruto recalled dubbing the diagram once in a conversation with Sakura, the 'Ninja Color Wheel'.

He was fairly certain he knew most of what was to be understood there. Fire to Wind to Lightning to Earth to Water to Fire and so on. Fire burned. Wind cut. Lightning electrocuted. Earth just whacked things really hard most of the time. And Water… well, it also whacked things, didn't it? Just with water.

Suddenly Naruto decided that perhaps his education did leave something to be desired. _No kidding, Kit, _chuckled Kurama in great amusement.

_Shut up, _Naruto muttered. _I'm trying to listen._

* * *

Sasuke meditated in his seat. Iruka's voice slipped right around him and he was able to completely ignore it. He knew all of the Academy's lessons anyway.

He wasn't thinking about anything really, just acquainting himself with the surreal world he now found himself in. He just calmed the part of him that was going haywire over the madness that was this time.

Suddenly, Iruka called on him. "Sasuke," he said. "Which element is between Fire and Lightning?"

It took all of Sasuke's training not to burst out laughing. What a coincidence, that it should be this precise scenario! The element between Fire and Lighting? The one element that was his enemy and his friend?

Of course it would be the enigma that was Naruto. "Wind," he said flatly.

"Correct!" said Iruka with a smile. I'm glad to see you memorized the chart I gave you." Not really – more just had to memorize the table over five years of combat, but what did it matter? "Now, we'll turn our lesson to Chakra control."

Sasuke tuned him out again.

* * *

The bell for recess rang after an hour and a half. "All right," Iruka said loudly over the hustle of rising students beginning conversations. "When we get back we'll get into Kenjutsu theory! Have a good break!"

Naruto stood, stretched, and made his way out of the room, following the crushing crowd of students. When he finally got outside of the building he made for a niche off to the side where hopefully he wouldn't be disturbed. As soon as he had looked around and was sure no one would take particular note of what he was doing, he began his workout routine anew, starting with handstand-pushups.

He'd gotten through his arms and was about to start into his leg exercises when he heard Sasuke's voice behind him. "Bell's about to ring. Don't start anything new."

Naruto's fist clenched compulsively. Up until just recently, having Sasuke right behind him would have been a _very bad thing_. It took him a moment to calm himself, remind himself that this wasn't the Sasuke who'd killed his friends and enslaved Sakura. Then he turned on the ground from his seated position to look at the boy.

Sasuke looked just as he should have – grim and uninterested. But if he was uninterested, why had he spoken to Naruto at all? And his eyes – there was still something off about them.

"Interesting workout pattern," said Sasuke after a moment, leaning against a tree, still looking at him with those cold, black eyes (_eyes that had been red while the fire that burned Kakashi was black_). "I hope you also work out the other muscle groups?"

Naruto nodded, not trusting himself to speak. _This is not good, Kit, _snarled Kurama. _Silence is out of character!_

_It is, but why does it matter?_ Naruto wondered. _Not like anyone really knew me back at this time._

_I'm not sure… _muttered Kurama. _Call it an odd feeling. I feel a strange foreboding._

Naruto grimaced inwardly. When Kurama had odd feelings, it was wise to listen. _Too late now, anyway, _he said.

Sasuke was already speaking. "Including the rest of the arms?"

Naruto blinked.

Then he hit himself over the head while Kurama laughed. "I may… have forgotten about that part," Naruto muttered, looking away from his former enemy. "Shut up."

Sasuke smirked slightly. "I have a few recommendations, if you'd like," he offered.

Naruto blinked and looked back up at him quickly, almost warily. If anything so far was out of character, it was this. Something was up. It wasn't just Kurama who had an odd feeling now.

Still, for the moment, the blond decided to run with it. "All right," he said. "Shall we meet after school at training ground twelve?"

"Sure," Sasuke nodded. "Do you mind if Sakura comes along? I've been helping her with the Taijutsu katas."

Now Naruto was worried. What the hell? Sasuke'd _never _helped Sakura with _anything _last time. Not once. Well, maybe in the academy they'd been a little closer before Sakura started taking advantage of her position on the team to feed her fangirl's passion. But this much?

"Sure," said Naruto, keeping his thoughts back.

Sasuke nodded. "See you then," he said. Then, just as he turned away, the bell rang, calling them all back into class.

A few hours later Naruto was in the field of Training Ground 12, waiting for his teammates to arrive. This was not to say that he was just standing around – he was going through his exercise routines as he waited.

He was in the middle of the core workout when Sasuke and Sakura arrived. Sasuke nodded at him as he entered while Sakura only glared at him for disturbing her time with 'her Sasuke-kun'.

Naruto stood up. "Hey, Sasuke, Sakura-chan," he said. "Glad you got here. Sasuke, if you could show me the exercises you were going to recommend, I'll be out of here." He gave Sakura a quick, sidelong glance as he said this, causing her to blush. "I can see I'm not particularly welcome."

As he spoke, Naruto saw something odd in Sasuke's eyes – a curious tension, almost a confused look. Something was throwing Sasuke off. Well, Naruto was acting out of character, but the Uchiha shouldn't have known him well enough to be sure of that.

"Nonsense," said Sasuke, rolling his eyes. "Logically, based on our test scores, we'll be on the same team when we graduate."

"If we all graduate," muttered Sakura, glaring balefully at Naruto, who gave no reply despite the pain in his heart.

"We will," said Sasuke flatly. "And since we'll be on the same team, we should get acquainted with each other's strengths and weaknesses."

Now Naruto was confused. Again: What the hell? This was _not _how Sasuke was supposed to be. What was going on?

_Well, when we traveled back in time all of the random values were re-rolled like dice, _said Kurama slowly. _It's possible that one such roll came up with the Uchiha intending to fulfill his goals through teamwork. The odds are long, though._

_Well, what else could it be? _Naruto asked.

_That's the problem, _grumbled the Kyuubi. _I feel like I'm missing something obvious and it's not making me happy, I don't mind telling you._

_Well, if you figure something out, let me know, _Naruto told him. Aloud he said, "And what if our exam scores change? I know I'm going to push a last ditch-effort and try to get out of last place. What if I manage it?" And suddenly it struck Naruto just how very possible that was.

An odd expression crossed Sasuke's face. "Then I hope to have successfully helped you in your new team," he said simply. "Now, Naruto, do you mind if we work on the Taijutsu katas first?"

"I don't know them," said Naruto.

"All the better; it's about time you learned," said Sasuke.

_About time? _Naruto thought.

_I get the feeling we're missing something there, _said Kurama.

_You don't say, _Naruto replied caustically.

_**LINEBREAK!**_

As Sasuke led his two former teammates through the basic Taijutsu katas, he contemplated the enigma that was his blond friend. Even now, when he should have been open and readable as a book, he was confusing Sasuke in ways he could never have anticipated.

First, Naruto was being tactful – well, not really. But he was reading emotions, and doing it correctly. If Sasuke had been told that Naruto had been capable of that before he came back from the training trip with Jiraiya, he'd have laughed in their face. Even afterward, Naruto hadn't been good at it. He'd only learned it recently. So what was he doing with that ability now, five years early?

And then his entire character was off. He was too calm, too collected. At this point in their lives, Naruto had been the loudmouthed prankster. Yet he seemed as mature as he'd ever been in the future.

And the oddest thing was that Naruto seemed to be having reactions to his own similar changes in character. They hadn't known each other at this point hardly at all, but Naruto seemed familiar with his character – far more so than Sakura, who'd only been concerned with his affections and not his temperament at this point. Everything was all wrong! And he couldn't think of a good reason for it, no matter how much he racked his brains.

But Naruto made a good point. There was no guarantee that they'd be on the same team this time, or that Kakashi would be their sensei. Well, Sasuke would have to do something about that, wouldn't he?

An idea began to form in his mind and it continued to take shape all through the rest of their training session.

* * *

The boy watched the trio that had once been Team Seven training together. In particular he watched Sasuke and Naruto. They'd both already made their secrets plain in his eyes – they'd come from the future.

Like he had.

Beside him, his companion and friend said, "Well, at least we're not alone."

"That's not certain," said the first. "Sasuke's a traitor, or he was. I really have no definite idea about what he's got planned."

"Naruto will be on our side, though," said the second. "I don't see why you don't want to reveal us to him. We shouldn't even be keeping secrets from him by law; he _is _our Hokage, after all."

"No, he's not," said the first flatly. "Not anymore – that's Sandaime-sama."

"He's not _the_ Hokage," corrected the second. "I didn't say he was. But he's _our _Hokage, and you know it."

"…Maybe," said the first after a moment's thought. "But even so, we can have a wider area of effect if we keep separate, reacting to each other instead of working as a single cell. If we reveal ourselves, he'll want to keep us close. We can't allow that, just as we need to keep separate ourselves, to change as much as possible. I've got the entire clan on alert, ready to fix anything that starts before it collapses."

"Lucky you," replied his companion dully. "I don't have a clan that keeps track of the Five Sacred Stars. They wouldn't believe me if I told them the truth – not yet."

"Then don't," said the first. "Work alone for now. That's fine. Everything we do right is good. There's no need to try for everything."

"…Naruto-sama would disagree," said the second after a time.

"Naruto's a fool," said the first.

"No arguments there," said the second. "I've got to be going. Things to see to."

"Got it," said the first. "See you later, Shino. You know the plan."

Aburame Shino nodded and leapt silently away among the trees.

The other time-traveler looked down at the clearing for a time longer, thinking. Naruto and Sasuke were trying to get their former strength back – Naruto in particular – as quickly as possible. An admirable goal. He'd have to get up off his ass a bit more if he wanted to keep up.

"What a drag," he muttered. Then he shook his head.

"So what?" he asked himself. "There's work to be done, and I'll see to it that it gets done right this time."

He stood straight and gave Naruto a salute he knew the blond wouldn't see.

"ANBU Black Ops Agent Nara Shikamaru, codename Hawk, reporting in," he whispered. "Mission accepted, Hokage-sama." And he leapt away in silence.

* * *

**A/N: To reflect what I'm sure some of you are thinking: O.O**

**Ha! Bet you weren't expecting that! Well, Shikamaru and Shino are BACK. And they intend to make a few changes too. There'll be a little extra at some point about what happened to them.**

**Hope you like the chapter! If you did, please review! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 5: Replay

**A/N: Strike's over, and I can practically promise a chapter tomorrow, since I already have it written. Shikamaru's being a boss. As always, enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 5: Replay_

* * *

"Hokage-sama," said Nara Shikaku as he entered the office.

The old man nodded at him as he entered. "Shikaku-san," he greeted. "I understand you have information of a delicate nature to share with me?"

Shikaku winced. "You're half right," he muttered. "I have delicate information but as yet I can't share it; even with you, Hokage-sama. I beg of you to trust me on this."

Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. "Then you have received some information that is too delicate to spread but which must be acted on," he determined.

Shikaku nodded. "Precisely," he said.

"Then by all means, state your proposal, but I can promise nothing without further information," said the Hokage invitingly.

The leader of the Nara clan nodded. "Very well." He took a deep breath. "The teams of graduating Genin this year must be as follows: Team Seven, under Hatake Kakashi, consisting of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto; Team Eight, under Yuuhi Kurenai, consisting of Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino; and Team Ten, under Sarutobi Asuma, consisting of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji. The other teams, should any be present, may be assigned as you see fit, Hokage-sama."

There was a moment of silence and then the Hokage said quietly, "Well, I certainly should have expected you not to mince your words, Shikaku."

Shikaku looked down. The oddity and political incorrectness of the situation was getting to him, making him sloppy. "My apologies, Hokage-sama."

"Don't apologize," the Hokage murmured, looking up at the ceiling. "I often wish others were as direct as this." Suddenly one bright eye peered directly into Shikaku's own. "And you can't tell me why this is important?"

"No, Hokage-sama," said Shikaku quietly. "Suffice it to say that my clan as a whole plays a vital part in this – and my son is right at the core."

Hiruzen frowned. "Your advice has normally given clarity," muttered the old man, "but now all you're doing is muddling my understanding. Again," he added quickly, "don't apologize. It must be important."

The two sat in silence for a time. At length Hiruzen spoke. "Very well. I will speak to the Jounin in question. I will see to it that these teams are formed – they seem like wise formations in any case."

Shikaku sighed in relief. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen just looked at him. "Will there come a time when I can know what all of this is about?"

Shikaku looked back into his eyes and, in perfect honesty, shrugged. "I don't know," he said simply. "They aren't my secrets."

The Hokage held his gaze for a moment longer and then nodded slowly. "Very well. You may go," he said.

Shikaku bowed and left the office. As soon as he was out of the building a voice came from his left suddenly. "Well, how'd it go?"

Shikaku almost jumped. He'd never get used to this level of stealth. He turned to face the boy leaning against the wall. "He agreed," he said simply.

"Good," said Shikamaru softly. "I was worried I'd have to find some way to put him under a Genjutsu. Thanks, dad."

"You'd have put the Hokage under a Genjutsu?" Shikaku whispered, scandalized. This wasn't the son he knew.

"This goes above and beyond any one Hokage," said Shikamaru flatly. "And he's not my Hokage anyway, as Shino says. I have only one Hokage."

"And would you care to tell me who that Hokage is?" asked Shikaku as the two of them began to walk homeward.

"No," said Shikamaru simply. "I wouldn't."

"Why not?" asked Shikaku. "You've trusted us with everything else!"

Shikamaru stopped dead and turned to look at him. There was a fire in the boy's eyes that Shikaku had never seen before – almost a fury. "Because," he bit out, "you, and all the rest of the clan, are just as much instruments of hate as every other person in this village."

Shikaku blinked and stepped away from his son warily. Shikamaru had already demonstrated his power – he was now almost certainly the most dangerous member of the clan. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, bewildered.

Shikamaru just turned away. "I've said too much already," he stated flatly. "There's enough in your hands to figure it out if you put your mind to it. Go ahead and try." With that, the boy continued on his way to the clan's compound.

After a moment, Shikaku followed, mind already whirring.

* * *

"All right, everyone, settle down," said Iruka loudly. The class was being incredibly rowdy today. Not much of a surprise, really – it was the day of the graduation exam, after all. After today, all of them would be Ninja – Genin, but still fully fledged Ninja.

_Well… hopefully all of them, _he thought, looking over at Naruto for a moment before looking away again. He'd be lying if he said he was certain the boy could pass the exam. But after a moment he shrugged it off. Over the past month Naruto's improvement had been incredible. He was still at the bottom of the class, but if one counted only the area of sudden improvement – if one only considered the past month for all students – he was actually in the top five students.

Iruka smiled to himself. No, he wasn't certain that this would work out for Naruto; but he was fairly confident.

"Everyone, please!" the academy teacher cried. "Settle down. It's time for the written exam. I'll pass them out. Don't flip them over until I give permission. Once I do, you'll have twenty minutes to finish. There are ten questions." Iruka began to pass the test papers out. The questions weren't the hardest – but they were all practical application questions, the kind that were difficult if all you knew was theory. This was a hurdle designed to trip up those who studied only their classwork and never actually practiced physically.

Once every student had a test Iruka took his position at his desk. He picked up a small, brass mallet and held it up to a similarly small brass bell.

"All right," he said softly, playing on the children's emotions like a musical instrument. This part was always fun. Of course, there were some who just looked uninterested – Sasuke, Shino, and Shikamaru, for instance. Oddly enough, Naruto didn't look too excited either – or panicked. He seemed to just be waiting.

"Begin!" he cried.

_Ding! _went the bell.

* * *

Naruto handed in his test in silence. It was astoundingly easy, really; he was sure he'd gotten at least nine out of ten correct. Sakura, he'd seen, had looked a little panicked, and no wonder; she'd always tried to work through books, but this test had been almost only about things one needed to really do the techniques to understand.

Now, though, it was time for the practical exam. He wondered which jutsu it would be. In theory, since it was a random chance, it might well not be the clone jutsu this time. But, honestly, he had a feeling…

"Now that the written exam is over, it's time for the practical exam!" Iruka said over the students' babble. "This year's jutsu is…" He uncovered a paper on his desk. "The Clone Jutsu!"

…that Mizuki had rigged the exam. Of course.

Naruto sighed. Even now he couldn't do the Clone very well. He could manage two successfully. Three or four were expected. He might be passed with low marks, but still…

_Then don't pass, _said Kurama softly.

Naruto blinked in shock. _What?_

_Mizuki used that trick to manipulate you, didn't he? Let him do it again! _Kurama said. _It'll give you an explanation for knowing the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu_.

Naruto shook his head. _It's too risky, _he said. _The possibility that he won't give us that chance this time is too great._

_Leave that to me, _Kurama grunted. _If he won't do it, I'll Genjutsu his face._

_That… works, _said Naruto in surprise. _Good idea. Fine, I'll go for the half-clone._

_Good, _said Kurama.

And then Naruto's name was called and he stepped into the side room where Iruka and Mizuki sat at a desk.

Iruka looked worried – and rightly. "All right, Naruto," he said. "Please perform the Clone Jutsu."

Naruto nodded and formed a Ram Seal with his hands, assuming all appearance of concentration. It wasn't all fake, either – he had to deliberately be just sloppy enough to get the terrible kind of clone he'd gotten the first time. Kurama was helping, but it was still difficult.

When he felt ready, he released his chakra with the words, "Clone Jutsu!"

And there beside him was the same fail-clone as last time.

Iruka looked over it for a moment, and then sighed. "Naruto, I'm sorry," he whispered, "but you fail."

Naruto looked down, composing his features as best he could into a look of devastation.

"Come on now, Iruka," said Mizuki with the amiability Naruto now knew was false. "This is his third try. Can't we give him a bye this time?"

"No, Mizuki!" said Iruka firmly, sounding very unhappy. "All of his classmates made at least three or four clones successfully. He's only made one; and look at it!" he pointed at the thing on the ground. "It's pathetic. I can't pass him. I'm sorry, Naruto."

Naruto just nodded wordlessly. _This is really hard, _he told Kurama. _I suck at acting._

_Deal with it, _muttered the Fox. _I'm working here._

_Ah, _Naruto said. _Mizuki?_

_Yes. _said the Kyuubi. _I'm almost in his mind. From there I'll be able to decide whether or not a Genjutsu is necessary. So shut up._

Naruto wisely didn't reply.

* * *

Sasuke stared at Naruto, who sat alone on the swings, loking down at his own feet – the only one who had failed.

How could this have happened? Sasuke's whole spirit was burning with guilt. Had he somehow done this? Had his coming back in time caused Naruto to fail the exam?

"I told you he'd fail," said Sakura beside him, not even bothering about tact enough to keep quiet. Sasuke was sure Naruto heard, although the blond gave no sign of it. "He's such an idiot! It's better that he's not going to be a Ninja."

Sasuke turned his head and met her eyes, which widened in sudden terror. He was only leaking a tiny amount of Killer Intent, considering the massive amount he was capable of, especially considering how very much his impulsive side wanted to whip out the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and give the girl beside him a taste of Tsukuyomi; but still she was terrified.

He forced down the power. "You don't understand," he murmured, turning away from her.

"S-Sasuke?" she whispered in something like horror.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I should have controlled myself better."

"Um… it's okay. But, uh, why does Naruto matter to you?" she asked, bewildered. "He's just a…"

"Don't," Sasuke bit out. "_Don't _try to tell me what Uzumaki Naruto is and isn't. I know all too well."

"But…" Sakura began again.

"Stop," said Sasuke. "Someday I'll explain everything. Someday you'll understand just what Naruto is. But not now." _Right now I've got a __**big**__ problem to fix, _he added in his mind.

Suddenly he saw Mizuki approaching Naruto and his breath suddenly came easier. _Of course, _he thought in relief. _The Mizuki incident. I'd forgotten._

He decided that tonight he'd follow Naruto through his activities to make certain everything worked out the way it was supposed to. Who knew – he might get a chance to see whatever infamous jutsu Naruto had famously used to take the Third down. Now _that _was a curious point. He'd never actually heard what that jutsu was – he guessed it must be a very specialized jutsu, which was why Naruto hadn't used it more often last time. Still, it might be well to learn it.

"What is it, Sasuke?" Sakura asked. "What is it about Naruto that you know?"

"Sometime," he said softly, "when the three of us are in one place, try looking into my eyes – not at them but _into _them, to see me behind them – and then look into his. I think you'll see it then."

Sakura's eyes followed him as he left the school grounds, making for the Uchiha Compound.

* * *

Shino stood among the other students, thinking on what he'd just seen. He stared after the Uchiha, who had just turned a corner out of the Aburame's sight.

_Uchiha Sasuke, Missing-nin, formerly Genin of Konoha, _his mind called back to the file in his old Bingo Book. The boy had cast off all emotions as thoroughly as any Foundation operative. He had turned against his friends and clearly wanted nothing more than to kill Naruto.

So what the hell was stopping him? Why hadn't he and Shikamaru been forced into action for the defense of their Hokage? What was Sasuke's game?

Casually Shino sent a beetle off to hook onto Sasuke undetected. It would allow Shino to know what the Uchiha was doing the instant he was doing something particularly interesting. On a whim he sent two more – one so he could track the Sharingan-bearer's position and the other to observe Sasuke further if the first came back to Shino to let him know about the boy's movements.

With this done he made his way over to the Nara Compound. He needed to report to his ANBU captain before he headed home.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, Shikamaru was an ANBU captain, and Shino served under him in the future. Now they're protecting their Hokage. Action next chapter – plus a monologue by Naruto. Coming tomorrow!**

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 6: Restart

**A/N: Here's your new chapter. Hope you like it!**

* * *

_Chapter 6: Restart_

* * *

"You know," said Mizuki as he stood over Naruto, "Iruka's not against you. He'd have liked nothing more than to pass you."

"I know," mumbled Naruto, looking at his feet so the Chuunin wouldn't see him fighting back a grin. He remembered this from last time, and only now did he see what a fool Mizuki was. "It's just… I really wanted to be a Ninja, you know?"

There was a moment's silence and then Mizuki said softly, "Well, given the circumstances, I suppose I can tell you."

Naruto looked up, blinking in his best 'innocent child's' face. "Tell me what?" he asked.

Mizuki leaned down and whispered in his ear, "There's another, more secret exam that students who fail the normal exam three times can still take."

Naruto made his eyes widen in a passable imitation of surprise – and Mizuki was eating it up, so convinced was he of Naruto's idiocy. "Really?"

"Yes," murmured Mizuki. "Now be quiet. If you want to be a Ninja, you have to pass this exam. I warn you, it's hard – it's meant for people who failed the normal test but are still capable of becoming splendid Ninja."

"Well, I'm going to be a splendid Ninja!" shouted Naruto, pretending to play right into the hands Mizuki was laying for him. "Believe it!"

"Shh!" hissed Mizuki. "Tonight at dusk your exam will take place. You have to steal the Forbidden Scroll form the Hokage's office and meet me in the forest afterwards. By the time I arrive, you must have the scroll and have learned one jutsu from it. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" whispered Naruto, and his voice was ecstatic – though not for the reasons Mizuki believed. Finally he was back in action – this had really been his first act as a Ninja.

"Good," said Mizuki, straightening. "Then I'll see you in the evening." He spoke with a smile, but his eyes were feral. Naruto smiled back, and his eyes were closed so Mizuki couldn't see the laughter in them.

As the Chuunin/soon-to-be Missing-nin walked away Naruto sent a thought to the Kyuubi. _Well? Did you need a Genjutsu in the end?_

_No, _said Kurama. _Why?_

Naruto shrugged mentally. _Just curious._

_Well, get going! _Kurama told him. _You've got things to do – and quickly! The sun sets at seven. You have four hours._

_I know, _replied Naruto. _Calm down. There's not a lot of prep to do, really. Just gotta head home and eat something. At about six-thirty we'll head for the Hokage's office._

_Fine, _said Kurama. _I hope this works this time as well as it did last time._

Naruto grinned. _It will. Once a pervert, always a pervert._

* * *

Sasuke grasped the exterior walls of the Hokage's office like a spider – except with Chakra. He was waiting for Naruto to make his appearance. The sun was setting now – it was exactly when Sasuke expected him to make his move.

The Uchiha was using the Chameleon Jutsu to mask his presence, bending light around him. His Sharingan was out so that he could instantly observe and memorize whatever technique Naruto used. He still didn't fully understand why Naruto had never used a jutsu powerful enough to defeat the Sandaime Hokage on him, Sasuke, his most dangerous enemy (second to Madara).

Still, he trusted he'd understand when he knew the jutsu.

And then Naruto came into the office.

"Ah, Naruto," said the Sandaime, looking up from his paperwork at the boy. "I heard about the exam. I…"

That was the last conscious thing he said. Naruto formed a Ram Seal as Sasuke observed and cried out, "Sexy Jutsu!"

The Hokage fell backwards in his chair, blood flowing from his nose. Sasuke blinked, stared at Naruko for one instant longer (as chance would have it, his Sharingan took the opportunity to memorize every detail) and then he was sliding down the walls as his Chakra control went haywire.

Blood was flowing from his nose, though it wasn't in the explosive quantities of the Hokage's. _Now _he knew why Naruto so rarely used that technique – all his life, Sasuke had never shown the slightest amount of interest in a female or the female body.

_Fool, _Sasuke thought as he hugged the walls of the building, unmoving – luckily he'd managed to keep the Chameleon Jutsu up, though it had been a close thing. He was now using a strip of the gauze he always kept on him to stem the flow of blood from his nostrils. Naruto was really a fool, though. _Does he not get it? _Sasuke wondered. _There's no such thing as a teenage male with no perversions to speak of!_

Well, and how would he have known? Naruto, for all of the comrades and friends he'd made who would die for him, and who he'd die for, had never had anyone who would teach him about puberty.

Five minutes after Naruto used the jutsu, Sasuke realized he still had the Sharingan active. He lowered it slowly.

Unfortunately, this did not remove the mental images that his Sharingan had photographed. Sakura would be jealous – of all the people whose female body would draw his attention…

Sasuke had seen the just before. Once or twice, in their very early careers. But he'd been just a child then – no older than he was now, in fact. And, more importantly, he had been focusing on his battle with the blond not on the blond himself – or rather the blonde herself.

And, even more significantly, this time he'd been using the Sharingan.

It took him almost a full half an hour of meditation to clear his mind enough that he could walk home.

* * *

Naruto laughed to himself as he hopped from rooftop to rooftop, making his way to the forest. The forbidden scroll was on his back, just as it had been the time before. This time, though, he intended to get everything on the dang thing learned.

Once he'd reached a secluded part of the forest he immediately began to read.

First, of course, was the Multi-Shadow Clone. It was forbidden because it took too much Chakra for any but a Chakra Reserve specialist to hope to perform. Naruto had plenty of chakra, though – more than even most of the best reserve specialists. Especially now, after having trained for years.

After he'd read that technique through once to refresh his memory on the theory he moved on to the second technique.

He blinked at the name. It was clearly forbidden for the same reason. _Multi-Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu, _he thought. _Getting faced with that must be like staring down a sharp wall with slots in it._

He quickly read through that one. It wasn't hard to learn, since he already knew its brother.

Then he turned his attention to the third jutsu. He blinked. _Burning Leaf Hail? _he thought. _I wonder what that does._

Soon he saw that it did exactly what it sounded like – the Ninjutsu called down a storm of sharp leaves on fire from the sky.

He quickly memorized the theory, but the technique was too dangerous to practice in the forest. It had been forbidden because, in addition to taking massive amounts of Chakra, it was too destructive to be used in Konoha or anywhere around it without controlling factors. The fire was too likely to spread and burn everything down.

Fortunately, Naruto knew a few basic Water-style jutsu, so he'd be able to practice this one using Shadow Clones later.

There were two more jutsu on the scroll, but as soon as he tried to start on the next one, he heard a telltale whistling from behind.

He rolled, dodging the massive Shuriken as it came towards him and embedded itself in the ground.

_Son of a… _muttered Kurama. _Mizuki found us first!_

_Damn, _said Naruto. _Still, this should work out._

"Mizuki-sensei," he said aloud, not turning to face the Jounin. "Good to see you made it."

"Well, you seem confident, kid," said the Chuunin's snide voice. "Now, I'll take that scroll – and your life – off of your hands, you miserable whelp."

"Give it a shot, by all means," said Naruto, turning to face the older man. "I haven't had a good fight in weeks."

Mixuki tossed his second massive Shuriken and, lightning-quickly, formed Hand Signs – Ram, Ox. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted, and suddenly there were ten massive Shuriken bearing down on the boy, impossible to dodge.

So he didn't he was already moving. He'd just tossed two shuriken of normal size and formed the same seals as Mizuki did. "Multi-Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he screamed.

A thousand small shuriken faced down the ten larger ones. Mixuki's shuriken were beaten away, nine of them puffing into smoke and he was still faced with several hundred shuriken.

A moment later, a log loaded with blades fell to the ground. _A substitution, of course, _thought Naruto. _They can never make it easy._

Naruto made his way to the giant shuriken, pulled out a ready weapon scroll, and quickly sealed the tool into it. It might come in handy.

"Well," said Mizuki, clearly having recovered from his momentary stunning at Naruto's surprising skill. "That's certainly a useful jutsu. It's in the scroll, isn't it?"

"Why yes, as luck would have it," said Naruto. "It is. You know, it's generally unwise to give weapons to someone you want to kill."

"Those jutsu are supposed to take too much Chakra to be really usable," said Mizuki cautiously. "How are you managing it?"

_He's at two o'clock, _said Kurama. _Let's scare him._

Naruto grinned. His canines sharpened, and – though he couldn't see it – his eyes grew red with slits for pupils. He turned in the direction Kurama had indicated and glread at where Mizuki was, grinning ferally, releasing some of the Kyuubi's Chakra in Killer Intent. "Do you really think," said Naruto, and his voice was raspier than normal, "that the technique exists that takes too much Chakra for the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Youko to use?"

_Kyuubi no Kitsune, now, _Kurama muttered. _Youko was when I didn't like you._

_Shut up now, furball, _Naruto advised.

"Kami above!" screamed Mizuki – allowing Naruto to pinpoint his position. "Demon! You are a demon!"

"Nah," said Naruto with a feral grin as he body-flickered to be right behing the Chuunin. As Mizuki turned to face him, eyes wide in stark terror, he whispered, "Just a Jinchuuriki that's good at his job."

Mizuki flew into the clearing and crashed into the trunk of a tree, denting and cracking it with the force of Naruto's side-kick.

Now Naruto body-flickered again to be right in front of the Chuunin. He allowed the Killer Intent to fade away as he looked down at the Academy instructor. His canines shortened and his eyes once more became blue. "You idiot," he said in the voice of a child again. "You guys just don't think things through, do you? On the one side, you think I'm a demon plotting to destroy the lot of you. On the other, you think you can manipulate me and trod on me like dirt. It's amazing I didn't come out of it wanting to destroy the village."

_Iruka's arrived, _Kurama told him suddenly.

_Let him listen, _Naruto replied. _I need him to understand._

"But you see, I'm neither an idiotic kid, nor a demon that wants to kill you all," Naruto continued his monologue, now aware of his second audience member. "I'm a Jinchuuriki – a Bijuu's jailor. The Kyuubi's power is a part of me. I am not an extension of it. And I will protect those who I care about with my life." Here he turned under Kurama's directions and looked at the place where Iruka hid among the leaves. "You're among them, Iruka-sensei."

He turned back to Mizuki, who was looking up at him in something like wonder. "I've been trodden on by this entire village for my entire life. As a whole, it's hated me since the day of my birth – October Tenth, the day of the Kyuubi's attack. But the way I see it, if they – if _you_ – can afford to pay attention and hate the Jinchuuriki among you, then it means you're safe enough that your attentions aren't focused outward. And I will willingly lay down my life alongside this village's Ninja to keep that safety. But you, Mizuki," he sighed and sat down. Now he was working under Kurama's instruction, trying to manipulate Iruka. "Your hatred's taken that chance from me. You _knew _I couldn't do the Clone Jutsu. So you rigged the exam so that I'd have to do it – and so fail. Now I can't fight for the village. Maybe this village will die because of it. Well, look at this – a technique from that scroll you had me steal."

Naruto quickly formed the Ram and Ox seals in quick succession. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu," he said quietly, and suddenly there were five hundred Narutos in the clearing. "A little late for that now, though, I suppose," he muttered as, one by one, the clones dispersed.

"Stupid kid," muttered Mizuki, clearly trying to rise. He couldn't though – Naruto had broken a couple ribs, and Mizuki was a peace-time Chuunin. He didn't have the resilience and determination that Ninja got in war. "You think I care about this village? I never got attention for them either! Iruka always got it! People pitied him because he lost everything in the Kyuubi attack! Well, I was alone too, but no one cared about me!"

"And that's the difference between us," Naruto countered softly. "You reacted to just a lack of affection with hatred, while I reacted to pure hatred with love. So tell me, Mizuki," his eyes met the Chuunin's and held his gaze, "Which of us is the better human being?"

Without waiting for an answer, he turned away. He took up the forbidden scroll from the ground and tossed it to Iruka who had just leapt down from the trees and was staring at him with wonder and something like worship in his eyes.

That'd fade, hopefully. "Take that to Sandaime-sama," said Naruto. "And send someone for the Missing-nin." He gestured at Mizuki. "I'll guard him."

"Wait!" said Iruka, walking up to him. "There's something I need to do first." He put down the Forbidden Scroll and reached up to the knot of his headband, untying it.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he said. "As your Academy instructor, it is my honor to present you with the rank of Genin of Konohagakure no Sato. Take this headband as your badge of office."

Naruto stared at the headband in Iruka's outstretched hand. "I can't take your headband!" he cried aghast.

Iruka grinned at him. "I'll get a new one. Just take it; you've earned it many times over."

_That happened last time, idiot, _said Kurama dully.

_Oh, _said Naruto sheepishly. _My bad._

With that he took the headband and tied it behind his head. "Watch out, enemies of Konoha," he whispered, feeling the comforting cloth about his forehead – how he'd missed it! "Naruto Uzumaki is coming for you." _And this time, _he swore silently, _I won't screw it up._

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you are. Sasuke's witnessed the Sexy Jutsu, Mizuki's down, Naruto's a Ninja, and Iruka has seen an epic monologue. Hope you liked the chapter! More coming soon! Please review!**

**First Full Revision Notes: It's come to my attention that in the Leaf's History filler arcs, Sasuke actually saw the Sexy Jutsu. I've altered the chapter to accommodate that.**


	8. Chapter 7: Reformation

**A/N: Not much to say, and I can't remember what there is. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 7: Reformation_

* * *

Sasuke sat rigid in his seat. Sakura had tried to talk to him but he'd politely told her that he'd rather not talk right now (as opposed to the silent treatment he'd have given her last time).

To say he was worried would be an understatement. Naruto wasn't late, technically, but it was traditional to be early to team assignments. Of course Naruto wouldn't know the first thing about tradition – he hadn't last time – but the fear that maybe he hadn't passed as a result of the Mizuki incident was still there. There was a chance, after all.

And then he was also afraid that the teams might be different. Though he didn't want to admit it, he wanted to be back on Team Seven – his Team Seven. With all his heart. But there was every chance that Sakura might wind up swapped with one of the other graduating Kunoichi. He'd forgotten to do something about it – he'd been intending to go in after Naruto finished the Mizuki incident's chaos, but…

Sasuke almost blushed. He'd gotten… distracted.

And then Naruto stepped into the room. Sasuke allowed himself to relax somewhat. There was one crisis averted – the blond was wearing a Konoha forehead protector. Still, with the teams he had to trust to luck.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked their (hopefully) teammate-to-be loudly. "Only Ninja are allowed here – only people who _graduated_."

"Headband," grunted Naruto flatly. "See it?"

"You probably stole it," grumbled Sakura. "Like anyone would have graduated you, especially since you failed _three times_."

"Well, as you can see, someone – namely Iruka-sensei – did," Naruto answered dully. "So if you want to complain about who else is a Ninja – a pointless exercise, by the way – talk to him about it. I'm sure he'd be gratified that you're second-guessing his decisions."

Sakura glared at him. "I'd never second-guess Iruka-sensei except…"

"Hello, everyone!" said Iruka loudly as he entered the room, shutting Sakura up. Sasuke was relieved – he'd thought he might have to step in. "Well, you're all Ninja now, not my students anymore. We're comrades now, not teacher and student." _Not that we all don't call you Sensei, _thought Sasuke to himself. _Even Jounin call the Academy teachers that. _"So this is the last time I'll address you in this classroom. And now I'll tell you who your next teachers – your Jounin Sensei – will be, and who your classmates – your teammates – are. The teams this year are as follows:"

Sasuke braced himself for the worst. "Under Sarutobi Asuma:" Iruka read off of a list, "Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Yamanaka Ino." _Well, that doesn't make anything certain, _Sasuke said to himself. _They wouldn't break the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. _"This will form Team Ten. Team Nine is still in action. Team Eight will consist Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba, under the Jounin Sensei Yuuhi Kurenai." _Well, they wouldn't break up their tracker team, but it could still go wrong! _Sasuke told himself. Then he blinked. _Wait. No, it couldn't._

"And Team Seven," Iruka finished as a grin started to appear thinly of Sasuke's face, "will consist of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Haruno Sakura. They will be under the instruction of Hatake Kakashi."

* * *

Naruto sighed in relief. The teams were the same – good. He'd been worried he might have to go to drastic measures – such as telling the Third the truth about his time-travelling. This way he'd still have an easy way to manipulate Sasuke to keep him loyal.

"The Jounin will be arriving shortly," said Iruka, though Naruto thought he saw the teacher's eyes flicker over his team for an instant. _Most of the Jounin, _Naruto thought. _Kakashi-sensei won't be here for a while._

He was, of course, right. Asuma and Kurenai came almost at the same time; just ten minutes after the teams were assigned, leaving the reborn Team Seven alone with Iruka. After an hour of waiting, even he made his excuses and left, saying that Kakashi would likely make an appearance within an hour. Which, of course, he would – Kakashi had a standard clock of about two hours lateness.

"This is so stupid!" exploded Sakura after Iruka had gone. "Who does that Jounin think he is, making us wait this long?"

"Hatake Kakashi," said Sasuke instantly as though reading a bio. "Former ANBU operative – then 'Dog'. Son of Hatake Sakumo, the 'White Fang of Konoha'. Famed for being the apprentice of the Yondaime Hokage on his Genin team and for having a transplanted Sharingan eye Doujutsu, courtesy of his KIA teammate Uchiha Obito; this Sharingan has earned him nicknames and epithets such as 'Copy Ninja Kakashi' or 'Sharingan Kakashi'. He is also famed for a… well, a chronic lateness complex. Two hours, usually."

Naruto looked over at the Uchiha in surprise. Sasuke looked as expressionless as ever as he continued. "Hatake graduated from the academy at the age of five and was a Chuunin at six. At the time of his original graduation he became the private apprentice of Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage." Oddly, Sasuke's eyes flickered to Naruto for an instant as he mentioned the Yondaime, almost as if he knew Naruto's heritage. "At the age of twelve, at the same time as his passing the Chuunin Exams, he gained two teammates – Uchiha Obito and the orphaned Rin, whose clan name is unkown. Since then, he has become the sole survivor of Team Minato, which, ironically," his eyes flashed as he looked between the two of them, "was that generation's Team Seven."

Naruto stared at him in amazement. Sasuke shouldn't have known half of that. It wasn't classified – except for Kakashi's former ANBU designation, all of that was open to any Konoha citizen. But Sasuke hadn't known last time. Why would he? Who looked into to their own village's Jounin files, after all? Yet he knew this time – he even knew Kakashi's classified ANBU name. How? Why? What was going on?

And that led to the matter of the Uchiha's sudden desire to train with those who he'd extrapolated would be his teammates. The old Sasuke had, at this time, felt that teamwork was totally beneath him – that his teammates would slow him down. This time he seemed to feel quite the reverse, and he was training with Naruto and Sakura twice every week.

Sakura was staring at her crush. "How did you know all that?" she whispered, seeming on the verge of swooning.

Sasuke shrugged. "I wanted to figure who my sensei would be. He's got a Sharingan – it's only natural that the Hokage would put me – the only Uchiha left in the village, and my team, under him."

"While we're on the subject," Naruto said, "how did you know we'd be on your team?"

"The Ino-Shika-Cho trio is a tradition Team Ten's fathers started," said Sasuke. "The three of them were set to be teammates from the beginning. The Hyuuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans are all tracker specialist. The logical thing would be either to scatter them to be completely separate or to put them all in one squad. However, since the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was already full, they couldn't be scattered, so Hinata, Shino, and Kiba were stuck together. Then you," here he pointed at Naruto and then himself, "and I are following another tradition of putting the graduating students of lowest and highest scores together in one team. That left Sakura to be our teammate and resident Kunoichi."

Naruto nodded. This was in perfect agreement with the reasons he'd long ago decided the Sandaime had had for forming precisely these teams.

"And of course _we _get the perpetually late Jounin," muttered Sakura. "I bet he won't come at all, to avoid Naruto." Here she glared at the blond. Her dislike towards him seemed even greater this time – perhaps his suddenly not asking her out was subconsciously throwing her off balance, or perhaps it was the way he no longer exuded idiocy that was irking her? He'd heard of stranger things.

"I doubt it," said Sasuke easily, leaning back in his chair. After a moment he sat up. "Given the circumstances," he said quietly, "would anyone care to join me in pulling a prank on our dear Sensei?"

Sakura spluttered in indignation, but Naruto was sure that in her heart she loved the idea. Sasuke wasn't looking at her, though; his eyes were fixed on the resident Prankster-King of Konoha.

Naruto grinned. "Let's see how elaborate we can make it, shall we?"

* * *

Kakashi stood before the Memorial Stone. He wasn't talking – he'd already given Obito his morning report, but that never took longer than fifteen minutes. The rest of the two hours every day he always just stood there in front of the engraved rock, or sat beside it.

Just keeping Obito company.

His two hours were almost up now, though, and he should probably be going to the academy.

"Well, Obito," he murmured. "I've got to be going. Sandaime-sama already won't be happy I've kept the kids waiting. I feel a little guilty about it, actually, since one's your… cousin? Relative? And another's Minato-sensei's son. Still… no favoritism, you know? Why should they get special treatment?" He laughed quietly. "Can't go ruining our reputation, can I?"

He turned away. "I'll be back tomorrow if I survive the day," he said. He'd long since learned not to take even day-to-day survival for granted. "If not, well, I'll see you later. Bye, Obito. See you, Rin, Minato-sensei."

With that he hopped into the trees and made his way back to Konoha. _Well, here goes nothing, _he thought dully. _With luck, I'll be able to just flunk them in the bell test and then I'll be able to operate solo again. They'll get another year in the academy, get a new Jounin-sensei, and everyone ends happy._

He couldn't really work up conviction in the thought, though. It was, after all, a team containing Minato's son and Obito's last living kin, if you didn't count Itachi.

More importantly, though, there was a happy-go-lucky prankster with a bad familial situation, a serious kid who'd lost his family young, and a girl with a fangirl-esque crush on the latter of the two boys. And it was numbered 'Seven'. The Sandaime might as well have screamed it at him.

_But I'm not Minato-sensei, _thought Kakashi sadly, _and I never will be._

And then he was in front of the Academy doors. He sighed, opened them and entered.

He made his way up a couple flights of stairs until he reached the third floor where his new students were likely grinding their teeth with impatience. That, at least, would be gratifying.

As he opened the door, which was already cracked slightly, he was already aware of the eraser above it. He didn't bother to dodge – it wouldn't hurt him, and they might underestimate him, which would only help his cause. The eraser landed on his head. He looked down at it on the floor, but at the lack of laughter caused him to look back up almost instantly.

Minato's son was grinning widely, the Uchiha had a strange, intent look in his eyes, and the girl seemed to have a facial expression halfway between horror and hysterical amusement, and looked undecided as to which to place on her features. All three of them, though, had their attention on something behind him. He turned.

A mallet swung down from above the door and smacked him on the brow. He stepped backward right into a bar that had lowered from the ceiling. At the same time he tripped a wire which launched dulled wodden shuriken at him from the walls. To avoid this he was forced to step backward, deeper into the room, where his feet were suddenly stuck in some jutsu-created slime. At this point a bell of some kind lowered from above to surround his head in copper. Suddenly the bell was being hit by mallets on the outside, and the ringing gave him a headache.

Then the bell rose up and just as the jutsu holding his feet down faded, he was whacked square between the eyes by a mallet. Some kind of Ninjutsu had been used to give it extra knockback strength, and he took a step back, tripped over a rope, and fell on his back, right at the feet of the blond son of his former Sensei.

Uzumaki Naruto stood over him for a moment, looking down on the somewhat humiliated and thoroughly headache-ridden Jounin before declaring, "And that is why you should be on time to our team meetings from here on, Kakashi-sensei. You're dealing with the Prankster-King."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Please review! I have a little bad news. I'm having trouble with the next chapter. This may be the point where I stop with the daily updates. I'll try to get it up, but there's a fair chance I won't manage it. Keep your fingers crossed!**

**Anyway, as I've said, please review!**


	9. Chapter 8: Revelation

**A/N: Whew! I got it written in time! ALERT! Moment of Truth inbound! Hope you like how I did it!**

**On a related note, this story is NOT NaruSasu. Please do not ask me! This is final! With that said, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 8: Revelation_

* * *

Kakashi stared up at Naruto, face carefully blank. One part of his mind was saying, _That trap was really quite advanced for Genin – the separate layers and all of the forced movement show a serious aptitude. _Another screamed, _Little bastards! What the hell was that for? _And the third and final portion was yelling, _I like these kids! Best prank ever!_

"My first impression of you three," said Kakashi as he stood, "hmm. You're mean. Come outside." With that he body-flickered out of the room.

Three minutes later the trio of kids stepped out onto the balcony where he awaited them. "Now," he said flatly, "since we're going to be on a team, we should get to know each other. Why doesn't each of you tell me a little about yourselves – your names, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, et cetera?"

The Uchiha began immediately – a bit of a surprise, given what Kakashi had heard. He was supposed to be a recluse. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke," said the boy. "I don't like many things, and I dislike a lot. My main hobby is training. I don't have a dream – that implies a possibility of failure."

_Ah, _thought Kakashi. _Now we turn to the Avenger's complex. He's going to go on about how he'll kill Itachi._

But the Uchiha surprised him. "My goal – a goal I _will _attain – is to atone for my sins. I will be redeemed."

Kakashi blinked. That wasn't the dream of a fresh Genin. What kinds of sins could he have committed?

"That's my cue," said the blond, looking with a strange, disbelieving face at the Uchiha beside him. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen and people who like me. I dislike people who don't like me, especially a certain bastard in an orange mask." Kakashi distinctly saw Sasuke's fist clench and the Uchiha's eyes widened a fraction. What was going on? Naruto's eyes seemed to have picked up on it in peripheral vision too, for his eyes had narrowed in an almost triumphant look. "My hobbies include training, mostly, like Sasuke. And also like Sasuke, I don't have a dream – I have a goal. I will defeat the man in the orange mask. I will finish the fight that I have fought for too long."

…_What the hell? _Kakashi thought. _These two kids are not acting like Genin. Sandaime-sama needs to hear about this._

"Um… that's my turn, I guess." The girl now began, seeming slightly intimidated, and no wonder – if Kakashi'd had a team like this as a Genin, he too would have had trouble avoiding a feeling of inferiority. "I'm Haruno Sakura," she said. "I like…" she broke off, with a glance at Sasuke and a giggle.

"Me," grunted the Uchiha, making her blush. "Sakura, if you're going to have a chance, then you have _got _to do something about this ridiculous fangirl infatuation."

_No kidding, _thought Kakashi, looking at her dully. That would be a problem. At least Sasuke seemed to have quite good tolerance.

She looked sheepish, face red, as she continued. "Sorry, Sasuke. Anyway, my dreams…"

"Avoid that one," said Sasuke quickly. "We can guess."

_Again, no kidding, _agreed Kakashi mentally as Sakura blushed.

"Okay," she started again. "My hobbies…" and _again _she broke off, glancing at Sasuke and giggling.

"Spying on me, training with me, stalking me, whatever suits her at the time," said Sasuke dully. Naruto was grinning oddly, looking at the two of them, and Sasuke sent him an equally strange glare – clearly Naruto was internally laughing at some inside joke at Sasuke's expense. "Next thing."

"Well, my dislikes are idiots like Naruto!" Sakura shouted sending the blond a death glare. Naruto just waved it off, rolling his eyes.

_Well, that's like molasses on open clockwork, _thought Kakashi dryly. _Naruto and Sasuke seem perfectly able to operate as a team, but Sakura seems absolutely determined to rip apart any team cohesion. That may be a problem. Still, _he added as an afterthought. _There __**are **__two bells._

"All right," he said. "That's it for today's meeting. Tomorrow is your exam."

"What?" Sakura asked loudly. "We just completed our graduation exam!"

"And did you think that was all?" Kakashi asked, raising his one visible brow. He always enjoyed this part. The kids were always so startled, and often looked absolutely devastated. Although, admittedly, neither Naruto nor Sasuke even looked surprised and Sakura didn't seem worried. She was supposed to have an IQ of almost 150, he remembered. Exams were never any trouble for her.

He decided to frighten her a bit. "The Ninja world doesn't rely on the theories you read in books, Sakura," he said. "You've had your theoretical exams. You've proven you can perform the techniques to apply them. But now," he treated her to an eye-smile. "It's time to be tested on your ability to perform in a real situation – your combat exam, if you will."

Naruto and Sasuke still didn't look fazed, but now the girl was worried. "I'll see you tomorrow at Training Ground Three," he told them. And then, pretending that it was an afterthought rather than a carefully planned part of the test, he added, "Oh, and I advise you not to eat breakfast," his eyes roved over the three of them, "or you'll puke."

With that said he body-flickered away.

* * *

As soon as Kakashi was gone, Sasuke turned to Sakura. "Eat breakfast," he told her flatly. "Maybe a light one, but enough to tide you over in the event of missing lunch."

"What?" she blinked at him in shock. "But he said…"

"He _advised_," Naruto said, grinning. "He's planning something to do with not letting us eat lunch."

Sakura glared at him. "How would you…"

"I agree," Sasuke interrupted. He and Naruto seemed to be having some kind of silent conversation over her head. "Really, Sakura. Eat something before showing up tomorrow."

"Uh… all right," she said, blinking. Then she brightened. "Speaking of eating, would you…"

"No, I won't go eat with you, Sakura," said Sasuke flatly, just glancing at her for a moment before turning his attention back to Naruto. "Especially not now. Naruto and I need to talk."

"Oh…" she said, looking down. _Why does Sasuke pay so much more attention to Naruto than to me? _she lamented. _I know he said he wasn't gay, but…_

"And I'm still not gay, Sakura," said Sasuke as if reading her thoughts. She looked up at him, startled. He was still staring at their blond teammate, who had a strange, amused grin on his face as Sasuke glared at him. "Believe me," he said, looking at her properly. "You have a much better chance of getting my affection than he does. But there are deeper bonds… things that mean more to me than infatuation or sexual orientation. And because of that," here he turned back to the blond, "Naruto and I need to talk."

She blinked. This was unusually wordy for Sasuke. "O-okay. Well, um, good-bye then, Sasuke-kun."

"Bye," he said, then hesitated for a moment before adding, "Sakura-chan."

She practically skipped home.

* * *

Naruto grinned at Sasuke as they walked side-by-side through the village towards the Uchiha Compound. Sasuke had invited him over for dinner to catch up. "Sakura-chan?" he asked, amused. "You have changed, Sasuke-teme."

"I should hope so," said Sasuke flatly. He looked sidelong at Naruto. "So have you," he said softly.

"I should hope so!" the blond quipped with a grin.

Sasuke actually smiled. "I didn't realize…" he murmured, and then he shook his head. "Come on. Let's save it for dinner."

Naruto nodded. "Do you have ramen?" he asked without much conviction; it was mostly just a standard place-holding thing to say to fill up the space.

"No," said Sasuke dully.

"Damn," Naruto shrugged. "Worth a shot."

Once they'd reached Sasuke's home in the Uchiha Compound and had a small meal set (both had helped cook – politeness was a long-lost luxury between a duo such as them) the real conversation began.

"So," began Naruto, putting down his chopsticks for a moment. Sasuke followed suit. "I think we're in the same boat. Five years in the future?"

"Yeah," said Sasuke. "I learned the jutsu through Shukaku in the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Speaking of which," he added, as though having just remembered something. "I brought Gaara through too."

"Gaara?" Naruto asked, laughing. "Well, what do you know? Now _that _will make for some interesting Chuunin exams."

Sasuke nodded. "So, I assume you learned the jutsu through the Kyuubi?"

_That's right, Uchiha, _said Kurama, projecting his thoughts outward so Sasuke could hear him. _And while we're on the subject, _he added, _I feel you should know, traitor, that you haven't acquitted yourself in my eyes. You've got a long way to go, kinslayer._

Sasuke winced. "Shut it, furball," Naruto snarled. "No need to be a bastard. He's here, isn't he?"

"No, he's right," said Sasuke quietly. "Well, Kyuubi," he began, looking at Naruto but speaking to his tenant. "You don't trust me, and rightly. Well, I promise you," suddenly his Sharingan was out and the three of them were in the sewer of Naruto's mind, and Sasuke was staring at Kurama in his cage as Naruto watched. "I promise you," said Sasuke, meeting the Fox's eyes with his red ones. "I will be this time what I should have been last time. I will be a companion, a _comrade_; but more than that, I'll be a friend. I will guard my Hokage with my life, but more importantly, I will be his brother in a sea of hatred, his friend among his enemies. This I swear to you, Kyuubi, on my Sharingan eyes. If I break my oath, those eyes are yours."

Kurama stared at Sasuke for a moment. _I don't trust you, _he told the Uchiha finally. _And I don't accept your oath. Keep your damnable eyes. But you have earned my respect, young Sasuke, and although I don't trust you, I'm willing to extend you a chance to earn my trust. _Then the Fox's eyes flared. _Don't screw it up._

"Don't worry," Sasuke grunted, and then they were back in the dining room of Sasuke's house. "I already did that once. I'm not doing it again."

_Good, _muttered Kurama as his consciousness retreated to his cage.

As he left, Naruto muttered, "Now I know how you feel, with fangirls fighting over you all the time! I thought you said you _weren't_ gay!"

"I'm not," Sasuke told him. "Bastard."

Naruto grinned. "Well, as far as I'm concerned, you're officially ANBU now," he said. "And you pretty much confirmed it – all that 'protect the Hokage' crap."

"…You weren't even listening to the rest, were you?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"Nah, I was," said Naruto easily. "But what stuck was you acknowledging me as Hokage."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. "It's good to be back," he murmured.

Naruto's grinned softened strangely, becoming an uncharacteristically small smile which was more genuine than any of the big grins he'd worn as a child. "It really is, isn't it?"

"…Do you want to stay over tonight?" Sasuke asked him quietly.

"Sure," said Naruto, smile widening but still retaining that strange, genuine quality. "I'd like to."

Sasuke just nodded and they finished eating in silence.

After they both had their stomachs filled, they began to talk again. Not about anything as serious as before – not about trust, or betrayal, or Itachi, or the Uchiha, or Madara, or Konoha. They talked about their experiences, just swapping tales of the various adventures they'd had. They kept it up long into the night, until all the village was blanketed in darkness except for a few rooms here and there – the room they were in being among them. They chatted until midnight passed and it was no longer night but early morning, and then they set up a mattress for Naruto beside Sasuke's bed upstairs and lay down, preparing for sleep.

As they lay in the darkness, feeling a companionship they hadn't known in years – perhaps they'd never really known it – Naruto spoke. "Hey, Sasuke?"

"Yeah," the Uchiha's face looked over the side of the bed to meet his gaze.

"You remember I swore to bring you back to Konoha?" Naruto asked softly.

"Of course," said Sasuke with a small smile. "You never could recognize a lost cause."

Naruto smirked at that, but then his face grew serious again. "I just wanted to ask," he said quietly, "did I succeed?"

Sasuke seemed to consider for a moment, his eyes gazing at the ground, and then he looked back at his oldest friend – perhaps his only one – with a slight grin. "I guess you did," he said.

A smile spread over Naruto's face – wider than any before it during the night and more genuine than any two of them together. "Good," he whispered, closing his eyes. He felt more at peace than he had in years. He'd fulfilled his oath.

"Good night, Naruto," said Sasuke as he rolled back over to lie on his back.

"Good night, Sasuke," murmured Naruto, and then he was asleep.

* * *

**A/N: And 8 chapters in, they find out about each other! Not about Shikamaru and Shino, though. Oh well.**

**I hope you all liked this! Things will keep going from here! Tomorrow (hopefully) comes the bell test! Let's see how that goes! Please review!**


	10. Chapter 9: Reconstruction

**A/N: I'm not actually sure whether I made it or not. Close either way. Regardless, here. I have a feeling after this weekend the daily updates are done, and I'll be dropping to weekly. Not sure yet.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 9: Reconstruction_

* * *

Sakura sat, bored and annoyed, on a stump in Training Ground Three. She'd come on time – like everyone was supposed to – and had now been waiting for fifteen minutes for anyone else to show up. Naruto wasn't here, Kakashi wasn't here; even Sasuke was late.

She hugged her knees, thinking about Sasuke – after all, what better way was there to pass the time?

_He called me Sakura-chan, _she thought, her mind drifting back to the previous day. She'd been thinking about it on and off all of the evening and now all morning. _Eat that, Ino-pig!_

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she felt slightly guilty. Was that all Sasuke was to her? Something to compete with Ino over?

She shook her head firmly. _No, _she thought. _Of course not._

But somehow she was having difficulty convincing herself.

Then, suddenly, her brooding was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Sasuke, who sat down on the stump at her right. At the same time, Naruto seated himself on Sasuke's other side.

"Sasuke-kun!" she cried, blushing in surprise. "There you are! I was worried!" Then she looked past him, glaring at Naruto. "You idiot, Naruto! Why were you so late?"

Naruto didn't even answer – he just looked up at the sky, sighing. "Kami," he muttered, "if I ever understand the mind of a fangirl, please strike with lightning or something."

She continued, but then Sasuke spoke and she turned to look at him. "It was my idea," he said. "I asked Naruto to help me with this. Here." And he handed her a small, covered tray of anko dumplings.

Her eyes widened in shock. Anko dumplings were one of her favorite foods! But how had he known?

As though detecting her thoughts, Sasuke said, "Naruto thought you'd like it. You'd be surprised at what he knows about you."

"No need to make me sound all stalker-ish, Sasuke," said Naruto easily, sliding off of the log and lying down on the grass, watching the two of them. "That's her job."

Sakura almost shrieked at him for that. Almost. But, after all… he'd known, somehow, that she loved these dumplings – and he'd told Sasuke to get them for her.

"Thanks, Sasuke-kun, Naruto," she said with a smile.

"We figured, in case you hadn't eaten a big breakfast – which, knowing you, you haven't," Naruto said, "you might need a little more."

Sakura almost screamed at him again, but in the end, he was right. She sighed and just bit into one of the dumplings.

Her eyes widened. "Where did you get these?" she asked after swallowing quickly. "They're delicious!"

Sasuke grunted and turned slightly away, but Naruto, grinning, said, "Sasuke insisted we make 'em ourselves, since he had some soaked beans ready anyway and wasn't in the mood for a bean dish tonight."

"Wouldn't have had the time, anyway," grunted Sasuke, "'cause you and I are going to be sparring all evening if I have any say."

Her eyes widened and she looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun… you made these for me?"

"It was mostly Naruto," said Sasuke in a monotone. "For all his faults, the idiot knows how to pound dough into submission."

"And you have no say, Sasuke," chuckled Naruto.

"Shut up, idiot," grunted the Uchiha. "We're sparring."

"Do I detect," gasped Naruto in mock astonishment, "a hint of… arrogance? In an Uchiha? I couldn't be!"

"Do I detect," quipped Sasuke without any change in tone, "a hint of sarcasm in an Uzumaki?"

"Ah, screw it," laughed Naruto. "I could own you any day of the week."

"Four words, Naruto," said Sasuke flatly. "Valley of the End."

Naruto sat up, glaring with mock anger at Sasuke and poking him in the forehead. "Circumstance!" he said loudly.

For a moment Sasuke didn't reply, touching the spot in the center of his forehead where Naruto's fingers had met his face. Then he smiled slightly. "Nah," he said. "You're just eminently destructible."

All this while Sakura had simply sat beside them, just watching them banter as she ate the dumplings. They seemed far more at ease with each other now than they had even yesterday. It was almost inspiring – Sasuke, the prodigy, so at ease with the class clown. They seemed to have known each other for years.

And they'd worked together to make her this. It warmed her heart in ways quite separate from the fact that it was Sasuke doing it – though that did make her heart flutter.

"When did you two become such good friends?" she wondered, and then realized she'd spoken aloud. She blushed slightly at the realization.

Sasuke turned to her. "I'd tell you if I knew," he said.

Naruto laughed. "But really, neither of us does. I for one have no idea when we stopped hating each other and became friends."

"That's what we were talking about yesterday," Sasuke said, glancing at the blond. "We needed to get something straight. Speaking of which, Sakura," his coal-black eyes looked into her green ones. "We need to establish something – all three of us, before Kakashi gets here."

Sakura looked at him. So did Naruto. "Sakura," he started, "I know you don't like Naruto."

"No kidding," muttered Naruto. This time Sakura really did glare at him and was about to yell when Sasuke intervened.

"Shut up, moron," he snarled, though without real anger. "This is more important than your bruised ego. Anyway, Sakura," he turned back to her, "I know you don't like him, and I can definitely understand—"

"Hey!"

"—But we're a team of Genin now," Sasuke finished ignoring Naruto's outburst. "Our success depends, above all else, on our team. Every day from here on, for as long as we're in a squad, your life is in Naruto's hands, as well as mine. His is in ours. Mine, in both of yours. We _need _to depend on one another fully and completely. We can't afford enmity. We can't afford favoritism. You can't value my life over Naruto's in the slightest. I can't value either of yours over the others. Naruto has to hold us both in equal value. And above all," he looked her to Naruto and back at her, "we must complete one another in battle. We have to know each others' strengths and weaknesses and protect and be protected in turn. We have to work together from now on. Naruto and I have agreed to this. Can you promise to?"

She blinked, averting her eyes slightly. _Value Naruto as equal to Sasuke? _she thought. _I couldn't. I can't._

Then, unexpectedly, Naruto spoke. "I'd like to make one revision."

Sakura and Sasuke both turned to him. "Sakura, no one will blame you for valuing Sasuke's life over mine," he told her, blue eyes boring into green. "But what he means, I think is that you can't seek his attention over mine. In other words, no more fangirl fawning."

Sasuke nodded, and then seemingly unable to contain himself, added, "Please."

Sakura stared at him, blinking. "Is it that bad?" she asked quietly.

He grimaced slightly. "Honestly?" he murmured. "You have no idea."

"I…" she stopped, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry, Sasuke," she finally said, head bowed. Then her neck straightened and she looked from one to the other of her two teammates. "All right," she said firmly. "I promise."

"Then I vote that in honor of the fact that both we and our dear Sensei's team seemingly needed this agreement, from what I've heard," said Naruto, "That we call this… 'oath'… the Covenant of Team Seven, or Team Seven's Covenant."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You always did love the dramatic," he muttered.

"Oh, you're one to talk, Mr. I-Can-Swing-My-Sword-san," laughed Naruto.

"Maybe," grumbled Sasuke, "but you really suck at it."

"Arrogance again, Red-Eyes," said Naruto, still laughing.

"I like it," Sakura interjected suddenly. And she did.

Sasuke and Naruto both fell silent, looking at her, and then the Uchiha sighed. "Fine," he muttered. "Two to one. Motion passes."

"What?" asked Naruto jokingly. "Not going to try to put in the Uchiha votes count for three?"

"Nah," grunted Sasuke. "One should always practice what one preaches."

"Oh?" quipped the blond. "I thought Uchiha were exempt from that, too. Your clan is full of surprises today, Sasuke."

"Bastard," growled the black-haired genius, but there was a slight smile on his face.

Sakura smiled slightly as she watched them swap joking insults. _I could get used to this, _she decided.

* * *

Kakashi leapt down into the training grounds to find the kids doing something he'd never have expected, given what he knew about their reputations. They were swapping jokes and laughing – or at least grinning slightly in Sasuke's case. There seemed to be no animosity between them to speak of. Sakura seemed somehow perfectly at ease with Naruto and didn't seem as flustered by Sasuke's presence as she had been. They seemed to have managed to iron out their differences somehow. Admirable – if only his team could have done the same.

"You're late, Hatake-san," called Sasuke as he spotted him. The Uchiha stood and started over to him. His teammates followed suit.

"Please, call me Kakashi-sensei," said the Jounin. "If you're going to be my Genin team you should at least act like it."

"If you have it your way, we're headed straight back to the Academy or out of the Ninja program after this," said the Uchiha easily. "I'd rather act like that until this is over one way or another, Hatake-san."

Kakashi outwardly kept himself unchanged in expression, but He was suddenly worried. A Genin shouldn't know this much about him! Then a chilling thought stuck him – how much more did he know? Kakashi liked his secrets kept.

"If you deserve to be Ninja," Kakashi said, opting for the cryptic, "then you'll be Ninja."

"But whether under you remains to be seen," said Sasuke, finishing the Jounin's thought perfectly. "Don't worry, Hatake-san; we'll show you what we're worth."

Somehow, Kakashi didn't have too much trouble believing him. "Well, if you're to do that, listen up," he said flatly. "The test is as follows. I hold these." He drew out the two silver bells with which Minato had tested his team long ago – even he, six years a Chuunin, hadn't managed to grab one from the famous Yellow Flash. It was ironic that now he was testing the man's son in the same way – or perhaps it was more than coincidence. "To pass and become Ninja, you must take one of these bells from me," he said.

Sakura blinked. "But Kakashi-sensei," she said. "There are only two bells!"

Kakash smiled at her with his eye. "Correct, Sakura," he said, laughing inwardly. They were so easy to play on – it was like plucking the strings of a shamisen; although, admittedly, Kakashi had never touched a shamisen. "There are only two bells," he said. "So you see, no matter what happens, one of you _will_ fail this exam."

Sakura's eyes widened, but Kakashi didn't miss the look the two boys shared behind her. What was with them? "At noon, if I still have any bells, we stop for lunch," he said, thinking on the foolishness of any Genin who thought he _wouldn't _still have a bell by noon. "Anyone who, by then, hasn't captured a bell doesn't _get _lunch." _Probably all of them, _he thought. _That's how it's always wound up. _"After lunch you can try again until the evening. Are we clear?"

The three potential Genin all nodded. "Good," he said. "Now, one piece of advice." He looked here at each of them in turn. "I can promise you, none of you will ever get one of these bells unless you come at me with the intention to kill. Do you understand this?"

"But Sensei, we might hurt you!" Sakura wailed.

Sasuke snorted before Kakashi could reply. "Doubtful," he said flatly. "He's a Jounin, Sakura. We'll be lucky to get one bell, let alone both."

Kakashi nodded. "Listen to your teammate, Sakura," he said. "And with that…" he pulled out his copy of Icha Icha Paradise and began to read. "This test has officially begun." He smiled to himself.

* * *

**A/N: Ouch. That was hard. Anyway, I know I promised the bell test, but this was important. The bell test will come next time. Hope you liked it, please review!**


	11. Chapter 10: Reevaluation

**A/N: Well. There we go. New chapter. This one's pretty much all action. Hope you like it!**

* * *

_Chapter 10: Reevaluation_

* * *

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. He remembered the deflated ego he'd gotten last time they'd gone through this. Well, this time he knew the secret. He'd show Kakashi.

He beckoned both of his teammates over. They came and the three of them huddled together. "All right," said Sasuke. I think I get the trick."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Teamwork, right? We have to put aside our own interests for the interests of the group."

Sasuke nodded, meeting Naruto's eyes. They'd agreed to keep everything secret from Sakura for the time being. The former Hokage was a much better actor than Sasuke would have expected, knowing him.

"But then what about the bells?" Sakura asked. "Who'll get them?"

"Screw the bells!" Sasuke snarled. "If I'm right, they don't matter in the slightest. What matters is that we work together. Sakura, you're our best mind – got a plan?"

Sakura blinked, blushing slightly, taking his words as a compliment rather than what they were – a statement of fact – and then shook her head to clear it. "Well," she said, thinking. "Naruto's a taijutsu expert, right?"

Naruto nodded. "I've got the Shadow Clone and Shuriken-Shadow Clone Jutsus, as well as all of the basic Ninjutsu in the academy besides the standard Clone. I also have one wide-area technique, but it's too dangerous to use in a forest."

Sasuke looked at him in surprise. "Fire style?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I'll explain later. Anyway, that's all the Ninjutsu I have. No Genjutsu. I can charge him with Shadow Clones, barrage him with Shuriken Shadow Clones, or anything else you need. I can make hundreds of each."

Sakura's head whipped around to face him. "Hundreds?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Naruto. "I can do about five hundred Shadow Clones and one thousand Shuriken Shadow Clones at once. I can't do that kind of thing too many times though."

"Chakra tank," muttered Sasuke.

"No kidding," Sakura said, staring at their blond teammate. "All right. Sasuke, what Ninjutsu have you got?"

"My best is the Fireball Jutsu," said Sasuke. "I've mastered all of the Academy basic techniques. I can dispel Genjutsu as long as he's not going all out. Naruto can, too, just not as well." Naruto nodded. "I'm not quite as good as he is in Taijutsu, just because his fighting style is ridiculously unpredictable, like a mash-up of every form imaginable. I'm much better at Shurikenjutsu."

Sakura nodded. "I'm definitely our team's weak link in combat," she said slowly. "At least for now. All right." Her eyes closed as she considered and Sasuke was reminded very strongly of Shikamaru.

Then her eyes opened after a couple minutes. "All right," she said. "Naruto, you get the memories of your Shadow Clones, don't you?"

Naruto nodded. "Yep. Dead useful."

"All right," said the Kunoichi with a nod. "Naruto, I want you to get us about two hundred Shadow Clones. Get twelve of them and use Transformation to get them to look like teams of us – four of them. The five teams will scatter though the forest, with the clones looking like they're going separately. Once the first of these team clones is dispersed, they'll form back into squads. While the teams get away, your army of clones will fight Kakashi as long as they can. And keep one clone separate from everything to tail him constantly – we need to know whenever he lays a trap. With me so far?"

Naruto's mouth moved silently as he cleared everything in his head. Then he nodded.

"All right," continued Sakura. "Now, as soon as your army is dispersed, start sending in the team clones, first just one, then team by team. One they've all gone down, make another army and send them at him. This'll wear him down."

"And I know exactly what we can do to finish it!" Naruto exclaimed – quietly, so Kakshi couldn't hear. "I have one other justsu. Trust me on this one, Sakura. You won't like it, but it works. If it doesn't totally incapacitate him, then Sasuke should come overhead with a downward fireball, and my clones will have set up immobilizing traps all around the clearing. This should work!"

"Save your special jutsu, though," Sakura decided. "Leave it as an ace in the hole in case it doesn't. Okay. I think we're ready. Whenever, Naruto."

* * *

Kakashi was still reading. They'd been inactive for a surprising amount of time. They were actually planning as a team. Amazing.

Then; "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" yelled the small Minato-lookalike.

_Whoomph. _Kakashi looked up to see himself surrounded by a couple hundred Shadow Clones, all looking like Naruto. "Well," he said quietly, putting his book away and standing up straight. "This should be a lot of fun."

And then they attacked. "Lesson One," Kakashi said, taking a combat stance. "Taijutsu."

His palm came out and was swept aside by a clone's forearm. At that instant, a roundhouse got him in the ribs. There was a lot of force behind it.

Kakashi's eye widened slightly. All right. He had to get serious. The kid was surprisingly good at Taijutsu, Kakashi had to give him that. He was also much stronger than he'd have expected. Still, Kakashi was a Jounin. He was better.

Kakashi began to spin, deflecting strike after strike with lightning speed and taking out one clone at a time. He was tempted to use his Sharingan to learn a bit about whatever style Naruto was using, but this was, after all, only a Genin exam. It wasn't worth it.

He caught a Naruto's fist and swung the clone around, taking out all the clones in a four-foot ring around him. Then he leapt up, swinging his legs in a double hook kick, taking out several more. As more came towards him, he blocked one's punch while kneeing another in the gut. His other hand speared another in the throat. Then he whirled, blocking two strikes and taking out four clones with a crescent kick.

One by one the clones went down, but he was sustaining hits too. He was already starting to bruise on his ribcage where that first strike had landed, and he'd taken two ridge-strikes to the rights side of his neck, as well as a bruise on the outside of his left thigh – a close block he'd managed when the boy had gone in for a low blow.

Eventually, though, it was over. Kakashi was slightly, bruised, but it wasn't too bad – he'd still give any Jounin a run for his money, and the Genin were no more of a problem now than they'd started.

Then, suddenly, he heard a whisper of shuriken coming at him through leaves. He jumped into a roll out of the way. When he came up, Sasuke leapt down into the clearing.

"Hm," murmured Kakashi. "I thought you three were working together."

"A mistake," grunted the Uchiha. "I shouldn't have let that idiot try to fight you." He quickly pulled out several kunai and held them in a defensive position. "I'll take you out on my own!"

"Hm," said Kakashi quietly. "If you're going to try to do that, then here's a bit of advice." The Jounin body-flickered to be right behind the boy, who began to turn, eyes wide. "Don't let your enemy get behind you," Kakashi said, delivering a side kick to the back of Sasuke's knee.

The technique was meant to knock the boy down, and it did, but as he fell, he screamed, "Fool!" and evaporated into smoke.

Kakashi blinked, and his battle-honed mind immediately worked out the reasoning behind the clone's shout. It was meant to mask another noise – one from behind him.

The Jounin leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the hail of shuriken. Then he turned just as Naruto and Sakura leapt down.

_They're probably also clones, _he thought. _No need to go too easy. Still, there's a chance. I can't afford to use killing moves or anything permanently maiming. Damn._

The two charged. Naruto's Taijutsu stance was the same as that the clones had used, but Sakura's was a clumsy Academy Basic stance. Maybe it really was her. Unfortunate.

He blocked a couple strikes and took out the Naruto clone. Then after deflecting a clumsy attack from Sakura he struck her with a palm to the stomach. She dispelled as well, proving that she too was a clone. And then he was attacked by Shuriken on three sides.

He rolled out of the way and was surrounded by the team of three. Sasuke was in a stance for a Genin level Taijutsu form, Sakura was poised for her clumsy Academy-level techniques, and Naruto was in his same improvised stance.

"Well, there you are," Kakashi said. "Unless, of course, you're just more clones."

They were, as he found out in the end. So were the next two times he faced the trio. And after he'd taken them out, he was assaulted by another ridiculous army. How much Chakra did this kid have?

But this time something went differently. While he was in the midst of the clones, he heard a voice from on high. "Fire style: Fireball Jutsu!"

His eye widened slightly. _Sasuke, _he thought. He jumped, avoiding the jutsu coming down on him from above. He leapt over all of the clones, many of which were incinerated by the flame, and came down on the outskirts of the clearing.

And just as he came down on them, he saw the wires. There was a net of them, all to be snapped upon his entry, all sure to launch traps.

His shoulders sagged in midair. _Son of a… _he thought. Then he quickly formed a Ram Seal. _Substitution Jutsu, _he said to himself.

He landed. The strings broke, and he was entrapped in a cocoon of ropes. And there was the team of three – probably the real ones this time.

"We win," said Naruto with a grin, high-fiving the other two. Sakura looked very pleased, but Sasuke seemed to have misgivings, although he partook on the high-fiving.

Then Kakashi decided to ruin their fun. He said quietly, "Lesson Two: Ninjutsu." And then he activated the Substitution he'd set, and there was a stump where he'd been while he was in a tree over their heads.

Naruto and Sakura seemed to blink in surprise, but Sasuke was instantly moving. He launched a flurry of kunai directly at Kakashi; the Jonin realized he'd probably noticed the log on the branch before.

The white-haired Ninja dodged by leaping down to the ground. He stared at them flatly as he said, "You three are pretty good you know that? Shame it ends now." His eye widened dramatically. "Lesson Three: Genjutsu." He formed hand signs as quickly as he could and said, "Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"

In an instant, the three of them were imprisoned in their own minds. But then the Naruto army came along from the clearing.

"He got the original!" one of them shouted.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto said loudly from behind Kakashi, and then in unison, he and Sasuke said, "Release!"

Kakashi whirled. They were fine, all three of them. They'd broken a B-Rank Genjutsu, cast by an A-Rank Jounin with a Sharingan. _Damn, they're good, _he thought, and then amended, _well, for Genin._

"Hey!" Naruto called to his clone army. "You lot know what to do! Here's more!"

And then there were a hundred more clones. Every single one of them formed a Ram Seal (except the original, who Kakashi could just see.

Kakashi readied himself to counter some jutsu from all around, but he could never have anticipated what happened next.

"Harem Jutsu!" screamed all of the Narutos. Kakashi figured out what was going to happen an instant before it did, but it was too late, and he was surrounded by naked blondes cloaked in steam and making excessively realistic sounds.

Kakashi's nose positively exploded – he was probably dyeing his whole mask red. _Damn you, Jiraiya, _he thought weakly as he fell to the onslaught of being cuddled by that many nude females.

A few minutes later, he awoke. Sasuke stood over him, juggling the bells while Naruto and Sakura seemed to be… _discussing _what was permitted in the presence of a female.

"I think we won," said the Uchiha, grinning slightly as he helped Kakashi up. "And I'd change my mask if I were you."

"How were you unaffected?" Kakashi asked blankly. Sasuke was – or should be – a pubescent preteen! By rights he should be bleeding out right now.

Sasuke smirked. "I saw that jutsu once the other day," he said. "I knew when to avert my eyes."

"And cover your ears?" Kakashi asked.

"And cover my ears," Sasuke agreed with a nod. "Anyway, I'm right, aren't I? Since we won through teamwork, the bells don't matter, do they?"

"No," said Kakashi with a shrug. "You'd have passed even if you didn't get them. Your teamwork was flawless. I'm surprised, actually," here he looked sidelong at the Uchiha. "You three were expected to be one of the most dysfunctional teams in history."

Sasuke shrugged. "We've got a few things going for us that we didn't have a month ago," he said. "You'll wind up surprised by more than this, I think."

And Kakashi was sure that he was right.

* * *

**A/N: Now KAKASHI'S been on the receiving end too! Whee!**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review! Thanks!**

**First Revision Notes: I've been asked how Sakura knew that Shadow Clones delivered their memories to the original when the jutsu is supposedly forbidden. The answer is simply that the Shadow Clone Jutsu isn't forbidden – it's Jounin-level. The Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu is forbidden. The jutsu are different only in that the latter is only used for massive numbers of clones. The former just doesn't work for it. I hope that clears that up.**


	12. Chapter 11: Rebirth

**A/N: This is it. The last daily update. I'm sorry, but I can't keep it up. The next chapter will be up next weekend. Thanks for following thus far, and more will be coming.**

**Anyway, at last, the romantic aspects of this story begin. That doesn't mean it's suddenly all mushy – you guys should know me better than that by now. But it's starting. There are hints of things that might evolve into things that look like sort of proto-mushes. You know what, instead of listening to me ramble about it, just read the damn thing! Enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 11: Rebirth_

* * *

They were all together now, the four of them, in the clearing with the tree stumps. The three Genin were seated with their backs to the logs, while Kakashi sat cross-legged facing them. He'd given them the lunches he'd brought for them, and since there were only two, he'd given Naruto his own. The boy had promised to one day treat him to a meal in exchange when he had more money.

As the kids ate, Kakashi began to speak. "You do know you three are only the second team in history to have actually gotten the bells as Genin?"

Sakura blinked, staring at him in shock. Even Naruto and Sasuke looked surprised. Kakashi looked from one to the other of them and continued.

"Genin tests are passed down from Sensei to apprentice," he explained. "The one who invented this test was the Third Hokage himself." He shifted his position into something a little more comfortable before going on. "He applied it to his pupils, the Three Legendary Sannin. They got the bells, and passed by showing teamwork. But they were the Sannin – their test was far from typical.

"Only Jiraiya-san of those three ever had a team of three Genin. That was the team that consisted of the Fourth Hokage," _Minato-sensei… _"and his two teammates, whose names I honestly don't know." _He never talked about them because they were dead… _"They failed to get the bells, but passed through showing teamwork. That's how it's supposed to be." He shrugged. "Anyway, neither of his teammates had Genin teams before their deaths, and the Fourth passed test on to his Genin – my squad."

He expected a shocked exclamation that he'd been the Fourth's apprentice. Perhaps Sasuke knew that too? That was way too much. "We failed utterly to get the bells. Neither of my teammates ever had teams, so now I'm passing it to you." He leaned forward slightly. "And you got them, after generations of the best Ninja ever born have failed."

Sasuke smirked slightly. "There you are, then," he said. "I guess we're just better."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "We were just the lucky ones who saw the point, Kakashi-sensei," he told the Jounin. "I don't claim to be better than the Fourth, or you, or even equal to the Sannin, in any way."

_But you are, aren't you? _Kakashi thought, looking the three over. _There is no luck among Ninja. If there were, the lucky ones wouldn't __**be **__Ninja. I don't know what it is, but something sets you three apart from the rest of us. _He cupped his face in one hand, rubbing his temples. _Well, I'd better do you damn proud, Minato-sensei, 'cause your son sure will._

"After you eat, come with me," said Kakashi aloud, if quietly. "There's something I want to show you."

Once they had, he led them a little ways through the forest until they reached the Memorial Stone. _Hi Obito, _Kakashi said silently. _Sorry, can't talk now; I'm here on business._

As they came to be in front of it, Kakashi spoke to his Genin. "Now, because you won, you three don't need to hear this as much as other Genin would, but it's still worth saying."

He looked at them for a moment, and then looked back at the black obelisk. "My teammates and Sensei's names are engraved here," he said. "And so are too many others. Many of them are here because their teammates thought the mission was more important than their lives. That's doctrine. That's what's accepted." He looked at them and met each of their eyes in turn. "This Memorial Stone holds sacred the names of those who fell in battle as heroes of Konoha. And many of these names are only here because of that law, that the mission takes priority. I know better."

His fists clenched involuntarily and he slowly relaxed them. "Ninja law states that those who fail to complete their mission when it was within their grasp are trash," he murmured, almost talking to himself. "That's true. But those who turn their backs on their comrades are worse than trash."

"I think I understand," said Naruto softly. Kakashi looked at him. "If you don't finish your mission, everyone hates you," he said. "But if you turn away from your friends and allies to complete your mission, then even if the whole world loves you, you'll hate yourself."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "And that's worse."

Kakashi looked from one to the other. _Not only are they geniuses, but they're philosophers too? _He chuckled inwardly. _This'll be an interesting team._

He had no idea just how right he was.

* * *

Kakashi had sent the three of them off for today after letting them know where they were meeting the next day. Sasuke walked beside his two teammates as they made their way towards the village proper.

Naruto had started rubbing a place on his head which was starting to swell up as soon as they'd left Kakashi's line of sight. "You didn't have to hit me that hard, Sakura-chan," he whined.

"_You_ shouldn't have used a jutsu like that," grumbled the Kunoichi.

"But we won because of it!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I don't care," she said firmly. "It's just wrong."

"But we won," said Sasuke suddenly, not looking at them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura look over at him, blinking. "Sasuke-kun?"

"It worked," said Sasuke flatly. "Sakura, in the world of Ninja, there are much worse ways to play on male perversion. One day you may be called on to perform a seduction mission for Konoha. That's no different from this; it's just a higher stage of the same thing. This is nothing. You've got to get used to it." Now he looked sidelong over at her. "In a world like ours," he said quietly, "we can't afford to pick and choose our weapons, or our allies, or our tactics. One day, we'll all have to do things that are fundamentally against our code of honor. This is just a taste of that for you; worse will come. You've got to get used to the idea now."

She just stared at him, clearly lost for words. He wondered whether he was alienating her from her worshipful fangirl complex, or if by his insights he was just pulling her deeper. _Who cares? _he thought then. _She needs to know. It was one of her greatest weaknesses last time – her refusal to go all out when she had to._

Suddenly his honed ears picked up a noise which he knew meant a human was watching them from the trees. Sakura didn't even twitch – she seemed not to have noticed – but Sasuke could have sworn Naruto's ears twitched slightly like fox's and the blond's eyes twitched slightly.

Naruto looked to the place where the sound had come from, gave Sasuke a slight nod, almost imperceptible, and then twitched his head in a similarly minute fashion onward. The message was clear. _I'll take care of it, _Naruto was saying. _You go on._

Sasuke gave him a tiny nod that no one without a Byakugan could see if they weren't looking for it. Sakura had seen that something was going on, though, and was now looking from one to the other of them.

Before she could say anything (and blow their cover) Naruto spoke, pasting a grin on his face. "I'm out of here," he said. "See you!" And with that he headed back the way they'd come.

Before Sakura could ask the question Sasuke could see forming on her lips, he said quickly, "Come on. In honor of our getting promoted, I'll treat you to dinner – again, it's not a date!" He added that last quickly as the look of elation started to spread over her face.

They continued on towards the village for a time, and then, when Sasuke was sure they were out of hearing range of the unseen observer, he said, "Sakura, you noticed something right where Naruto left us, right?"

Sakura blinked. "You two were acting odd," she said slowly. "It was like you were having some kind of silent conversation."

Sasuke nodded. "We were," he told her. "Sakura, there was someone in the trees there, watching us."

The girl's eyes widened. "Are you certain?" she asked.

"Yes," said Sasuke. "I don't know who it was. Naruto's gone to find out. He'll catch up with us, and we'll have dinner as a team." He grinned. "It wouldn't be a proper graduation celebration otherwise, would it?"

"No," said the girl, looking downcast. "No, I guess it wouldn't."

"I told you it wasn't going to be a date," said Sasuke, looking at her with one raised eyebrow.

"I know," she said. "I know. It's just… ugh. Sorry."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. To make up for it, we'll have dinner tomorrow night. You can even call it a date, if you want to."

She frowned slightly, surprising him. "But it won't be one?"

"Does it matter?" he asked, perplexed. "You still get to say you one-upped Ino."

She looked away from him. "Is that all you think I think of you?" she asked quietly. "A contest with Ino?"

He looked at the back of her head dully. "Isn't it?" he shot back softly.

"No, but maybe it should be!" she said loudly, whirling to face him, and he was shocked to see her green eyes blazing in hurt fury. "If you're going to be such an insensitive prick, maybe I shouldn't see anything more in you!"

He blinked. Then he smiled slightly. "All right," he murmured. "_Now _it's a date."

She blinked, the rage leaking out of her eyes. "Wait, what?" she muttered, confused.

"Sorry," he said, still grinning. "This is out of my comfort zone. First, I apologize for insulting you. Second, would you go to dinner with me tomorrow on a date?"

Sakura just stared at him, "Yes…" she said eventually, sounding cautious in case this was some kind of cruel joke.

It wasn't. "How about six?" he asked. "Tomorrow evening, if we're finished with team stuff by then."

Her eyes slowly widened. "Uh, okay…" she murmured, seeming to be in shock.

At that point Naruto caught up with them. "Well?" Sasuke asked him. "Who was it?"

Naruto shrugged. "Just a Genin on a mission." But as he spoke, he shook his head at Sasuke imperceptibly and mouthed "Hinata."

Sasuke blinked. There was an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked at Naruto, and it took him a moment to realize that it was guilt. Horrible, crushing guilt.

He remembered the Battle of Konoha. He remembered the Ninja throwing themselves forward to protect the civilians who were evacuating. He remembered being faced himself with a squad of four – Sakura, Kakashi, Hinata, and Naruto himself.

He remembered Kakashi being burned alive by his Amaterasu early on. He remembered using Madara's jutsu to enslave Sakura. With each memory, a fresh wave of pain and guilt and horror at what he'd done came over him.

And then he remembered impaling Hinata with a Chidori Spear right before Naruto's eyes. He remembered the Hokage's scream of pain and fury, remembered the red glow of Kurama, remembered meeting the Rasenshuriken with a hyper-charged Chidori, remembered being blown back from the blast and knocked unconscious to have the rest of the battle fought by the rest of the force…

It was as though walls were coming down in his heart and the guilt was flooding in after having been held off for years.

He looked away from his teammates to hide the tears that were forming. "I've got to go take care of something," he muttered, barely managing to keep his voice steady. "I'll meet you at Ramen Ichiraku in a few minutes."

"All right," Naruto said, patting him on the shoulder. He understood. "See you there."

And Sasuke left as quickly as he reasonable could to get his weeping out of the way.

* * *

Naruto walked on for a few moments after parting with his team. He sensed the watching person following him as he did so.

Then, after he was a fair distance from his team, he stopped. "Come out," he called. "Whoever you are, I know you're there."

There was a gasp, and then, as he turned, Hyuuga Hinata hopped out of the tree.

He barely kept his face composed at all – hell, he barely kept himself from launching into her arms. Even so, his mouth did drop slightly open and his eyes widened a little. Kami, it hadn't struck him fully until now… but she was alive. _**She was alive!**_

"Hinata-chan," he said in surprise (she blushed, so apparently he hadn't been calling her –chan yet at this point – a shame that he would now undo); and then, to humor her so she wouldn't be embarrassed, "On a mission?"

"Um, y-yes, Naruto-kun," she whispered, face bright red. _Kami, _he thought, _how I missed you, Hinata-chan…_

"Good luck," he said, grinning, and then asked, "Who's on your team again?" It wasn't that he didn't know; he just yearned to talk with her and that was all he could think of to say.

"Um, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino," she said. "My sensei is…"

"Yuuhi Kurenai," he said nodding. "Yeah, now I remember."

He racked his brains to think of some good topic to start into, but his brain came up blank – seeing Hinata was taking up most of his mind, and Kurama wasn't helping. He was laughing in his cage at his host's sorry state – acceptable, considering how rarely one saw a lovesick Jinchuuriki.

So he said, with regret foremost in his mind, "Well, I guess you've got a mission to finish."

She blinked in surprise (had she already forgotten the ruse he'd given her?) before nodding. "Um… y-yes. S-sorry. I'll go now."

He nodded. "Don't apologize," he said. "I enjoy talking with you." she blushed, of course, and the aching of his heart was unbearable. "I'll see you around, Hinata-chan."

"Bye, N-Naruto-kun," she said, and then she was gone, clearly embarrassed at having been caught.

He stood for a time, getting his emotions under control, before going back to catch up with his team.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you all liked that! Please review, and expect an update in a week!**


	13. Chapter 12: Reconsideration

**A/N: This was the perfect chapter title. Seriously. Anyway, here are the promised soliloquies! I hope you enjoy them! There's more dialogue here than I originally anticipated. A lot happens ion two conversations – Naruto and Sasuke first, and then Naruto and Kurama later. People just chat about their feelings.**

**I know I skipped the 'Team Seven Dinner', but honestly, I didn't find it important. Sasuke wouldn't want to talk right after everything, Naruto wouldn't have anything important to say, and Sakura wouldn't want to say anything noteworthy in front of Naruto. So I cut it out. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

_Chapter 12: Reconsideration_

* * *

Sasuke sat on a stone in the forest. He was alone save for the chirping of birds and the chattering of squirrels. He was taking the opportunity to meditate on all that was happening around him.

Well, perhaps 'meditate' is not quite the correct word. Meditation involves the calming of the mind and the soothing of emotions. It does not, by all accounts, involve rivers of salty tears flowing down one's face.

So what would be a correct word? Considering? Contemplating? Musing? Wondering?

No, wishing. Sasuke was wishing that he hadn't done all of the things he had last time; that he hadn't come back in time because it hadn't been necessary. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the second chance; it was more that he would rather have not screwed the first one up.

He'd been evil. That was unquestionable. He'd killed uncountable numbers of people. He'd slain and enslaved those closest to him. And he'd felt no regret, no pain; nothing in the lump of pulsing muscle that might have once been a heart.

And then Gaara had spoken. That hadn't made him feel regret, but it had made him realize that he was displeased in some way with his lot. He hadn't known why at first; nor had he cared. The Sasuke of the past (or was it the future?) hadn't cared for anything – not understanding, not his friends, not his own mind – in comparison with achieving his goals. Well, all of his goals had been achieved, and he'd suddenly found himself unhappy; so for a time his new goal was attaining happiness.

He hadn't regretted yet what he had done, but he'd felt instinctively that the source of his unhappiness lay in his past – so on the appearance of an opportunity to find and prevent it, he seized his chance.

And then there was Naruto. Instantly he was faced with the boy who was, as Gaara had said, the embodiment of his lost heart. And thus he had begun not to regret his actions, but to understand the horror of what he had wrought.

When Naruto had revealed himself as having come from the future and they'd spent the night together for the first time in years, Sasuke had begun to understand exactly what he had lost and what he could now regain. For the first time in years, his heart had felt like a _heart _in the emotional sense rather than merely a lump of muscle that kept him alive.

And now, faced with Naruto who had just seen Hinata – faced not with fury as he might have expected, but with _forgiveness_ – now he felt regret.

Why? Why now? Why the delayed reaction?

Because only now, faced with Naruto's lack of self-pity at the loss of his lover, now undone, and his lack of hatred for the man who killed her, was Sasuke able to feel for himself as he hadn't in years. He felt so that he could feel for Naruto what the boy did not even though he should.

Gaara was absolutely, horribly right. Sasuke's heart had died long ago, and Naruto's heart had nourished him for a time – and at last, now, under the blond Jinchuuriki's care, Sasuke's heart had been reborn. And the sensation was agony.

Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder. Sasuke whirled, tears still streaming down his face, fists already moving to strike whoever was there, only to stop when he realized it was Naruto, looking at him with an odd expression on his face – a sort of mixture of surprise, horror, and pity.

"The original thought something might be up," said the boy, who Sasuke realized was a Shadow Clone. "But Kami, I didn't expect this. Are you all right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked away, not even trying to stem the flow of tears. "I should be," he whispered, not trusting himself to speak louder for fear of wailing. The last time he'd cried had been after Madara told him the truth about Itachi. That had been about when he'd buried his emotions completely, thought the process had begun in the Uchiha Massacre. Now they were present again. "At least now, thank Kami."

Naruto slung an arm around his shoulders and Sasuke almost laughed at how ludicrous it was that the boy whose lover he'd killed barely more than a month ago was trying to comfort him with his guilt for having done it. "This isn't like you, Sasuke," he said quietly. "What's happened?"

Sasuke almost smirked. "Call it a cumulative effect," he muttered. "You don't get emotionless for a long period of time without things stacking up."

"Explain, please," Naruto said.

Sasuke grunted. "I'm not in the mood for a heart-to-heart."

"You never are," Naruto deadpanned.

"Your point?" Sasuke asked, in another half-expression, this time sardonic.

"If it's bad enough to make the flat-faced Uchiha cry up a river, then you're going to need help building a bridge," said Naruto in the most extensive metaphor Sasuke had ever heard him use.

The black-haired boy almost grinned at it. "Fine. Suffice it to say that this is the first time I've had real feelings in over a year. Considering what's happened in the past year, it's not fun."

"Nothing happened in the last year," Naruto said quietly.

Sasuke stared at him. "What?"

"One year ago, you were eleven," said Naruto, still in that quiet, calm voice. "Now you're twelve."

Sasuke looked away. "You know what I meant."

"Yes, Sasuke, I do," said Naruto. "But listen for once. Yes, you killed Hinata, and Kakashi, and all the rest. Nothing can change that. And you regret it – that's good. Hopefully it means you won't do it again."

Sasuke grunted. "Hopefully."

"Let me finish," Naruto said, exasperated. "You killed them, and you regret it. But the thing is, they weren't killed by you."

Sasuke blinked, turned to the blond, and asked, "What?"

"They weren't killed at all," murmured Naruto happily. "So regret killing them, but don't feel guilty – because they haven't died. You have regrets, but there's no cause for guilt, because nothing's happened – don't you see?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I get it, Naruto," he said flatly, cradling his head in his hands, "But I can't just… wish away my guilt. It doesn't work like that. You might not know – you've never really had cause to feel guilty."

"I have," the Jinchuuriki told him. "I know it's hard. But think about it, will you?"

Sasuke's tears had stopped flowing, more from lack of water than the easing of pain. He gave Naruto a wavering grin. "I'll try."

"Good," grinned his teammate. "Now hurry up! The original and Sakura are waiting for you!"

With that, the Shadow Clone formed an Ox seal and dispersed. Sasuke sat for a moment in silence, considering. Then he washed his face with a light water jutsu, stood up, stretched, sighed, and made his way towards the village proper and Ramen Ichiraku.

* * *

_Home at last, _Kurama grunted as Naruto stretched just inside his apartment's recently closed door. _I was getting tired of all the emotional overload._

"You've still got one little preteen with a lot to think about on your hands," Naruto joked. "Me."

_But I actually __**want **__to know what the hell is going on in your undersized brain, _Kurama quipped. _Now, I had a mate once, a couple centuries ago, and I was not happy when she died. You, however, have already forgiven the Uchiha for the gir- sorry, Hinata's –death. Explanation, please._

"Why don't you just read my mind?" Naruto asked – he was speaking aloud because it was easier for him and in his apartment's privacy he saw no reason not to. "You could just do that."

_We've had this conversation before, _growled the Kyuubi. _Privacy is one of those things I respect even in humans._

"Well, I'm flattered that my species deserves so much from you," chuckled Naruto. "Really. I'm touched."

_You know perfectly well that I don't view you as a human, _Kurama said flatly.

_Maybe you just underrate the species, _Naruto suggested, slipping into mental conversation, which was more convenient for his tenant since he wasn't forced to use Naruto's ears.

_Back on topic, _said the Fox easily, dodging his host's thinly veiled jab at his dislike of the human race, _if you could please explain…_

Naruto sighed, giving up. "I wish I knew," he muttered. "I can't hate him, Kurama. I know I should, but… he's here, isn't he? That means something."

_It certainly does,_ said Kurama. _The question is, what does it mean?_

Naruto's eyes narrowed. _He's not working for Madara._

_How can you be so certain? _Kurama pressed. _Every three-century cycle, __**someone **__comes back to change things. Madara would want an agent of his to ensure things went smoothly._

_He would, wouldn't he? _said Naruto thoughtfully. Then he turned his mind back to the issue at hand. _But Sasuke isn't that agent. I promise you that._

_And yet, you have nothing to show for your claims, _said the Kyuubi. _I'm not satisfied with your belief – you've always been too trusting. He killed Hinata._

_**And do you think I don't know that? **_The blond Jinchuuriki roared. _**I loved – love – her. Do you think I haven't thought through trusting Sasuke? Do you think I haven't doubted him? **_Here he settled himself down a little. _Sasuke…_ _is like a brother to me, _Naruto murmured._ Blood is thicker than water, furball. And honestly, _here the boy grinned slightly, _can you look into that bastard's eyes and tell me seriously that you think he's working for Madara?_

Kurama sighed. _If you had asked me this morning, I would have said yes._

He didn't need to mention the encounter in the woods. They'd both seen it – Sasuke's eyes had always been filled with hatred, but this was the first time Naruto could remember seeing the Uchiha direct it at himself. It had been a startling experience. It was a sign, Naruto thought – a sign of the transformation that he'd spent years trying to facilitate.

He smiled slightly as he remembered his oath as a child – how he'd sworn to retrieve Sasuke. In the end, he'd given up before succeeding; a point which hurt him terribly. _Why? _Kurama asked, and Naruto realized he'd accidentally been projecting his thoughts outward.

Naruto sat down on his bed – throughout the conversation, he'd been subconsciously preparing for sleep. _Because I can't give up, _he said quietly. _It's… not me. I don't give up. Call it determination, or stubbornness, or blindness, or perseverance… or even just idiocy. You'd be right._

But Kurama, who was as skilled as any Ninja mentally, saw – as Kakashi would say – 'underneath the underneath', and asked the question which had a hidden answer. _And what do you call it?_

Naruto gave a dry chuckle. _I call it faith._

* * *

Hinata couldn't sleep to save her live – not even with a glass of honeyed, warm milk seeping through her body. She'd gone through all of her relaxation stretches, meditated for fifteen minutes – she'd even voluntarily sparred with Hanabi to take her mind off things. It hadn't worked at all – her mind kept going back unbidden to the events of the afternoon. To Naruto's words…

_I enjoy talking with you, _he'd said. Her eyes closed as she tried to force down the unbidden rush of blood to her face.

Not even her family enjoyed talking with her. The elders despised her, father thought her a lost cause – even Hanabi looked down at her. The branch family, despite all pretenses of respect, absolutely _hated _her, thinking it an insult to them that someone so weak was in the Main House; Neji was living proof of that.

So what on earth made Naruto find her important enough to even notice? Him, of all people – the one with the most power and potential of their entire class; he should have looked down on her like the strong Ninja always did – except Kurenai-sensei, of course.

But more interesting by far to her was the odd expression that, however hidden it was from his face it was kept, still shone plain in his eyes. However unworthy she might be of the honor, Hinata still bore a Byakugan, and knew how to see things others might miss – and knowing Naruto's face as well as she did, it was child's play to notice when something was off.

His eyes had looked… strange. There was an odd mixture of emotions that she couldn't even begin to delve into. On the surface she'd seen pain and… something else, something odd, but there were undertones of a million other things she couldn't even begin to guess at. And it had been directed at her.

Did he hate her? Had that been some look of dislike?

_No. _She knew what hatred looked like. That hadn't been there at all.

But what was it then?

_Put it out of your mind, _she told herself with all of the firmness she could muster. _He must have a reason – and he doesn't lie. If he said he likes my company, _a delightful shiver went through her at the thought, _then he does._

There was, of course, still doubt, but she turned her thoughts from that, opting instead to just think about Naruto himself until, eventually, she fell asleep.

* * *

**A/N: I was going to explain Sasuke and Sakura's thoughts on the upcoming date, but it's easier to have them converse about it while it's happening. That'll probably be the chapter after next. Next chapter… well, can't you guess? D-ranks. Lots and lots of D-ranks. It's their first day as Genin, after all!**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next four-five weeks may not be one chapter each – random is going to be my life's watchword – but you can bet I'm going to give it a shot!**

**Please review! It'll encourage me! Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 13: Reactivation

**A/N: Well, here's another chapter. You're lucky – I was barely able to post it. It should be more stable next time. I know I promised D-ranks, but my fingers got away with me, and before I knew it, I had 2,500 words and no missions. Sorry. Still, I think you'll like this.**

* * *

_Chapter 13: Reactivation_

* * *

Naruto lay on his back in the grass, humming idly to himself. The dew moistened his face and neck, giving a delicious cool feeling and helping to awaken him.

It was early. Still in the gray hours of the morning just before dawn, in fact; he had awoken early after the dinner with his team the previous evening with the intention of getting a little training in before the others arrived at seven. Kakashi, of course, wouldn't come 'til nine, but no one had ever been late last time – he'd been too stupid, Sasuke hadn't seen the point, and Sakura had been dutiful, as well as wanting the chance to 'bond' with her Uchiha crush – i.e. get ignored and embarrass herself.

Naruto rolled his eyes as he considered the past. How the Sandaime had ever expected their team to ever do anything but crash and burn was beyond him. He knew _he'd _never done anything quite so dangerous as Rokudaime.

_Don't count your dragons before they've tried to kill you, _Kurama said sagely. _I'd say pissing off the Hyuuga and destroying their clan system with only their official consent counts as dangerous.I'm surprised you weren't assassinated before the village was destroyed._

Naruto rolled his eyes. "That was different."

_How? _Kurama pressed.

"It wasn't stupid as hell," the blond Jinchuuriki said matter-of-factly.

_That's hardly a compelling argument… _the Kyuubi muttered, but Naruto had already risen and begun his exercise routines.

The boy could already feel the changes in his body from as it had been upon his return. His exercise had strengthened it from head to toe. His muscles weren't battle-honed as they had been once, but they had strength, which was as much as could be asked of simple exercise, at least for now.

He understood now why Lee, despite having gained incredible movement speed through exercise, had a comparatively slow attack speed during the Chuunin exams – only certain advanced exercises improved the fast-twitch muscles used for rapid attacks. They were mostly improved through action in combat – which was why that particular aspect of the Second Green Beast's Taijutsu had been repaired by the time of the Fourth Shinobi World War.

_It's not valid either, _said Kurama suddenly, giving Naruto pause.

"…What?" Naruto mumbled, confused.

_Your argument, _Kurama told him. _It's not valid. You just said it wasn't stupid. That's a matter of opinion._

Naruto shook his head slowly. "After about twenty minutes of silence, a conversation becomes obsolete, furball."

Kurama grunted. _If you say so._

"I do. And now you made me lose count!" the boy complained. He'd been in the middle of his sit-ups sequence, and now he couldn't remember what number he'd been on.

_Thirty-four, _the Fox murmured helpfully.

"Thank you," said Naruto, continuing on.

For quite some time the boy and his tenant bantered on, making small talk just for want of something better to do, and then, "Who are you talking to?" a voice asked suddenly from behind him.

Naruto looked up, and immediately his head was filled with Kurama's cursing; for there, staring at him, was Sakura.

He shrugged. _Might as well go with the basics… _"Myself," he told her flatly. "First sign of madness."

She blinked. _That expression's from Iwa, fool, _muttered the Kyuubi. _She wouldn't know it._

_So? _Naruto asked.

_So she won't get the joke!_

"Um… what?" the girl asked, perplexed.

"Don't worry about it," he said, shrugging. "What's the time?"

"Ten 'til seven," she replied, sitting on a stump. "Why? How long have you been here?"

He shrugged. "About an hour and a half," he estimated. "I spend most of the day with you guys, so I've got to get any private training in either during the early morning or in the evening when I'm exhausted. I go with the former."

"But why do you need any extra training?" Sakura asked. "We've got Kakashi-sensei for that, right?

He smirked. "In case you hadn't noticed, our Sensei arrives two hours late for everything. That's two hours out of training time. Anyway," he added, "The man's a total Ninjutsu specialist. I'm naturally inclined to Taijutsu. I'm not his ideal student. In any case, it's better to work out away from one's Sensei, so that the time you have with him can be fully dedicated to practical techniques."

She stared at him, mouth slightly open. "That makes a lot of sense," she murmured.

He grinned. "I try."

_Sometimes in the wrong things, of course, _chuckled Kurama. _Like when you __**tried **__to vandalize the entire Hokage monument._

_Come on, admit it, _Naruto laughed. _You thought that was amazing._

_Of course I did! _said the Fox. _I don't like humans, remember? I especially enjoyed seeing you have to clean it all up._

Naruto sent the fox a mental frown. _Bastard, _he muttered to the Kyuubi's howls of mirth.

"I'm not late, am I?" came Sasuke's voice suddenly from the direction of Konoha proper.

"Of course not, Sasuke-kun!" came the inevitable cry as Sakura leapt up and turned to face the approaching Uchiha. "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine," said Sasuke calmly. "Settle down, Sakura. How about you? And you, Naruto?"

"I slept well," said Sakura eagerly, with a force barely lowered by Sasuke's words. "I can't wait for this evening…"

"Yes, we're still going out," grunted the black-haired boy. "Please don't make me regret it."

"I'm fine," said Naruto evenly, sending Sasuke a message with his eyes that said, _Why did I not hear about this? What the hell? When did this happen?_

Sasuke's reply was much more even. _Tell you later. _"Good," the Uchiha said. "Now we just have to wait two hours. What fun."

"We could set another trap," Naruto suggested.

"Nah," grunted Sasuke. "One-eye's earned a one-day reprieve, I say."

Naruto shrugged. "Another time, then."

"Yeah," nodded Sasuke.

"We probably shouldn't be pranking our Sensei at all," said Sakura timidly.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "He shouldn't be two hours late to everything. Cause and effect. Anyway, you know you enjoy it."

Sakura just colored slightly and looked away.

"The question remains," Sasuke brought them back to the topic. "What are we going to do for two hours?"

"Train?" Naruto suggested.

Sasuke shrugged. "If you like. I'd rather do something a bit less as Ninja and a bit more as Genin, if you take my meaning."

_I do, _Naruto said silently. _We were never really kids last time, were we? _Suddenly he thought of something. "We could cut!"

Sasuke smirked. "Play hooky? Sounds like perfect vengeance for Hatake's lateness on his prank day-off.

Sakura looked from one to the other of them nervously. "Um… I'm not sure that's a good idea…"

Naruto grinned at her. "This isn't the academy, Sakura," he said. "We'll only get in trouble with Sensei, and if I know anything, he's too lazy to bother punishing us."

"He's right," Sasuke said. "But the question remains even then; what do we do?"

"We could try to find him," Naruto suggested as the thought hit him. Why hadn't they ever tried that last time?

Sasuke blinked. "Good idea," he said. "You coming, Sakura?"

"Sure," she said, eager to agree with anything Sasuke suggested.

The Uchiha nodded. "If I know anything, he'll be at the Memorial Stone. We should try there."

"Then let's get going!" Naruto cried, and off they went.

They started off with a conversation between the two boys, just small talk, but eventually Sasuke was able to drag Sakura into it, and soon they were all three talking and laughing like old friends.

Which they were, of course, through Sakura didn't know it.

Soon enough they approached the Memorial Stone. As they did, Sasuke murmured, "All right, everyone, be tactful. We want him to stop being late, but if someone spends this long at the Memorial Stone, they've got a reason."

Naruto nodded. _Sasuke's good at this, _he said silently to Kurama. _See how he's conveying everything he and I already know to Sakura without giving anything away? He's a genius at this. I'll have to remember that he's a good espionage agent when I'm Hokage._

_No guarantee that the title will be yours this time around, _the Fox muttered back. _And he's still not necessarily trustworthy in my book._

_Screw your book, _Naruto said blithely as Sasuke led them towards the Memorial – and Kakashi.

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sasuke called as the white-haired Jounin came into view. The man looked up from the Stone in surprise.

"What are you three doing here?" he asked quietly.

"Looking for you," said the Uchiha, stopping a few feet away from the man. "Any ideas on what we can do while we wait for you?"

Kakashi almost seemed to smirk at Sasuke's roundabout chastising. "Yes."

There was a moment's silence and then Sasuke said, "So, does that mean we should play charades?"

Kakashi chuckled dryly. "No. Guess."

Naruto cocked his head beside Sasuke. "Do you expect us to just wait for you?"

"No," said Kakashi. "Think. You're Ninja. You're paid based on skill. What should you do when I'm there or supposed to be and we're not on a mission?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Train," he said simply.

"Exactly," the Jounin nodded. "So, maybe, when I'm not there, instead of just trying to entertain yourselves, you should be trying to get better so our missions will go more smoothly when I arrive."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other in amazement. They'd been Kakashi's Genin together for almost a year last time, and Naruto had been for even longer, and yet they'd never understood this aspect of his regime. His lateness, while a part of it was laziness and another part was grief and the need to be near to the Memorial, had always had this aspect of logic and this connection to the Sensei's duty. And they'd never known about it! Sasuke felt that they'd failed some test.

Naruto nodded slowly. "All right," he murmured. "That makes sense."

"It should," Kakashi told him. "Your Sensei thought of it. Now get going. I'll be there late."

Sasuke felt his lips twitch slightly as he turned away from the Jounin. "Fine," he said. "See you later."

The three Genin made their way back to the clearing where they'd begun and there held something of a conference.

"I'm fine with training," said Naruto. "I'm not too tired. What Kakashi says goes, I guess."

"You were ready to cut class a few minutes ago," Sakura said, bewildered. "What changed?"

Naruto just shrugged. "Now it's not stupid as hell," he said with an odd, inward-facing grin.

_Perhaps an inside joke with the Kyuubi? _Sasuke wondered. "Well," he said aloud, "I'm with Naruto on this."

"Me too," Sakura began, "but…" And then she looked down and blushed slightly.

"You don't know where to begin training for yourself," Sasuke finished for her. "Fine. I'll guide you through something. Naruto, what're you going to work on?"

The Jinchuuriki shrugged. "I was thinking Ninjutsu – I've got a couple of Wind- and Fire- style Ninjutsu that I've been looking to combine into a combination type."

Sakura stared at him with a classic expression on her face – one Sasuke had seen on her face as she looked at their teammate many times before. She looked like he was an idiot. He was inclined to agree at the moment. "Naruto, the ability to combine Elemental Chakra Natures is restricted to the various Ninja clans," she told him in a voice that suggested he was a rather slow toddler who hadn't realized that blocks didn't float in the air. "You can't do that."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You should know that, idiot," he grunted to his friend, and he knew the other had received the hidden message in the words – _You were__** Hokage **__without knowing that?_

Naruto just looked from one to the other of them and smirked slightly. "Has anyone ever tried?" he murmured. When they didn't answer immediately, he added, "And how do you explain my making headway?" In an instant, he'd turned away from them, forming seals. He ended on an odd variation of the Tiger Seal.

_He probably worked that out himself, _a tiny part of Sasuke's mind which wasn't intent upon the boy before him thought. _A master of seals if there ever was one._

"Fireblade Style:" Naruto said loudly. "Flaming Kunai!"

He separated his hands, Sasuke tracking the rapid movements through training as he resisted the urge to whip out his Sharingan. Naruto formed both hands into a knife-hand from various Taijutsu styles and then, suddenly, they were enveloped in an odd mess of flame that held a stable position in the shape of large kunai extending from his wrist. _That Change in Chakra Form is nearly impossible for Fire Style, I'm sure, _Sasuke thought. _He must be using the Wind Style to shape it. Wind Chakra grinds against itself to sharpen, right? I guess that he's grinding the Fire Chakra into a blade. Ingenious._

Naruto ran forward in a way reminiscent of Sasuke's own Chidori and rapidly stabbed one of his flaming arm-blades into the trunk of a tree while the other slashed at the side of the wood. As the Chakra faded, Sasuke saw that the incisions were really quite shallow in comparison with Naruto's fare in the normal Wind Style, which might well have cut down the tree and halved the rock behind it, leaving a deep gash in the ground besides.

But not only was the tree cut, it was burning. Not on full fire, like it would be with Naruto's pure Fire Style, but all around the cuts the wood was smoldering in glowing embers.

Naruto stepped away, forming more seals. In a moment, he'd used a Water Style jutsu to put out the almost-fire. Then he turned back to them, a wild light in his eyes that said plainly, _Ha! _"Well?" he asked slyly. "Explain that away, if you can."

Sasuke just stared at him, keeping his face carefully impassive. Beside him Sakura cried, "You must be part of a clan with that Kekkei Genkai!"

Naruto shook his head firmly. "Neither of my parents' families is ever recorded as having abilities like that," he said, and Sasuke knew they were both praying that she didn't know that he wasn't supposed to be aware of his ancestry. "Sure, it's a Kekkei Genkai now, but unless it's been hidden in my family for generations and never discovered, I just created it. After all," he grinned slightly at Sasuke, "how do you think Kekkei Genkai are first created?"

_A challenge if I ever heard one, _Sasuke thought as he met the Jichuuriki's eyes. _Lightning and Fire… a destructive combination, for certain. _His eyes narrowed slightly as he and Naruto stared at each other. _You've got your competitor, Naruto, _thought Sasuke, trying to transmit his thoughts. _I accept._

Naruto's grin widened slightly and Sasuke knew he understood.

But at the moment there were more pressing matters. "Impressive," said Hatake Kakashi as he jumped down behind Sasuke from the trees. "But I don't think it'll be of any use on today's missions.

_Son of a bitch, _Kurama growled to both Naruto and Sasuke. _There goes our cover._

* * *

**A/N: Many of you have asked when Kakashi'll work out that something's up. The answer is now. Still, I'll tell you straight – Naruto has actually created that Kekkei Genkai. It's not something that was hidden and he just discovered – he's creating it, which is why it's still fairly weak.**

**One little note: If I missed any g's in this chapter's spelling, it's because I'm writing it on a laptop with a glitchy 'g' key. If you see any missing, let me know. Thanks!**

**Please review! Your comments make my day!**


	15. Chapter 14: Reiteration

**A/N: Here I am once again. Your weekly chapter has come. I've been writing a new fic along with this one – Skyrim and Zelda cross, if anyone's interested. It won't be posted for a long time, but I thought I might as well get it out there that I'm writing it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

_Chapter 14: Reiteration_

* * *

Naruto settled himself into a crouch silently, letting the bushes around him mask him from sight. He forced himself to still every muscle. Of course, this brought forth a terrible itch in his right leg, but he suppressed it. _It's a figment of your imagination, _he told himself firmly. _Don't… move!_

_Well, you're certainly taking this seriously, _Kurama commented dryly. _Relax. What's the worst that could happen? It's a housecat!_

_That thing is not a normal cat any more than you're a normal fox, _Naruto told him, suppressing a shudder. _The thing's a menace._

_It's just a D-Rank… _Kurama muttered. _It can't possibly be that bad._

_Didn't you see my memories? _Naruto asked. _It's only D-Rank because of the low mortality rate. Rate of injury is higher than an average B-Rank. I'm speaking as Hokage here – those are the figures on file._

_Are you serious? _The Kyuubi asked incredulously.

_Dead serious, _Naruto replied as he slowly brought his radio to his mouth.

"This is Fox," he said into is quietly. "I'm in position. How're things on your end, Dragon?"

"All quiet here," hissed Sasuke's voice amidst the following crackle of static. "What about you, Blossom?"

"Target in sight," whispered Sakura. "Ten meters from my position at three o'clock."

Naruto quickly ran some calculations in his head. His mental map said that their position was perfect; Tora the cat was boxed – or triangle'd – in between the three of them. Kakashi seemed to have reached a similar conclusion, because he said. "All right, Blossom, on the signal, give the target a scare exactly away from you. Go after it. The three of you can trap it."

"Wait," said Sasuke quickly. "Fox, get us backup in the trees. I don't want it jumping away from us."

_Like last time, _Naruto finished for him silently as he prepared the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

The clones appeared with a quiet poof that seemed earsplitting in the silence. "Did the target hear that?" Naruto asked Sakura worriedly.

"No indication that it did," replied the Kunoichi. "But keep quiet."

Naruto grunted in affirmation as his clones took the logical positions – another triangle in the trees in the center of the triangle the three Genin formed, formed opposite to the original triangle. After giving the clones one minute to position themselves, he sent another to check if they were ready. Thirty seconds later it dispersed in the affirmative. "We're good," he said. "Backup in position."

"Beginning operation," Sakura said.

There was a sudden sound of shifting leaves and then a yell. Sakura was scaring Tora. That was the signal.

As the cat yowled, Naruto sped forward into the center of the triangle. He met there with Sasuke and Sakura. And there was Tora, between them. The cat dived for the gap between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto dove ahead of it; Sasuke, as though sensing his plan dove for its rear.

They landed, Naruto holding the wildly hissing feline's front down while Sasuke grasped its rump. But it seemed that destiny did not want Tora so easily caught. Her tail flicked out in a way that Naruto woulkd swear was impossible for a cat, like the straightening of a finger. It drove straight into Sasuke's right eye.

With a strangled yell, Sasuke's newly immature body reacted unconsciously to stimuli and leapt backward, letting go of Tora. The spitting cat backed immediately out of Naruto's grip and before he could catch it had leapt up onto his head and then off it, leaving gashes down his scalp and brow.

Tora was rising upward, away from them, and then one of Naruto's Shadow Clones intercepted it in midair, punting it (lightly, so as not to harm her and thus break their mission contract) back towards the Genin. Naruto caught it and held on grimly, heedless if the shredding of his face.

He slowly repositioned it to minimize the damage his face and body sustained; slowly because despite all of his injuries, losing the cat would be far worse than not repositioning it at all.

He nodded at his two teammates, not daring to speak for fear he would lose his tongue. Sasuke slowly rose from his prone position, cradling the right side of his face. "I think I've lost my eyes," he said slowly. "It seems to be bleeding."

Sakura came over towards him worriedly. "Are you serious, Sasuke-kun?" she saked. "Let me see."

"No," he said. "I was just kidding – I don't think it's that bad." But he obligingly removed his hand and allowed her to examine his very red and very teary eye.

She looked at it worriedly. "I'm no medic, but I hope it's not too bad," she said. "Can you see through it?"

He closed his other eye. "Bit blurry, but I think that's tears. It should be okay."

"Good," said Naruto, speaking through gritted teeth to protect the inside of his mouth. His chin was probably unrecognizable by now. "We need to get going. I'm not going to last long like this."

"Yeah," said Sasuke. "Kakashi-sensei can catch up – let's head for the Hokage's office."

* * *

"Oh thank you so much for bringing back my poor baby!" squealed Madam Shijimi as Tora was brought before her. It was happily handed over, and Sasuke was sure Naruto, like him, felt no regret as the woman squeezed the life out of the demon in cat's form.

"I am so glad she's home safe," gushed the woman happily. "Tora-chan's been very naughty lately, running away far too often. Perhaps she needs more attention!"

_Perhaps you need to put that demon down, _Sasuke thought. Watching the woman's excited torturing of her cat, he silently added, _And maybe you should take a tranquilizer while you're at it._

"Well done on completing your first mission, Team Seven," said the Sandaime (not the Hokage; there was only one Hokage and it wasn't Sarutobi Hiruzen). "Your pay will be sent in your monthly paycheck, as it will in all following missions."

"Speaking of pay," said Naruto quickly, "might I request more advanced missions? My funds are running low."

Sasuke raised a brow. Naruto _had_ been eating much more healthily this time around than at this point last time – Ramen only once a day, or twice on occasion. That kind of less-junk-food change would cut into the limited reserves Naruto had.

Sandaime-sama nodded. "I understand, Naruto, but the standard procedure-"

"-Is for Genin to spend one full month on D-Ranks after graduation," said Naruto, and Sasuke almost winced at the blond Jinchuuriki's accidental slip. A Genin would never know a Hokage's logistics procedure. "I know. But I'm asking for an exception. Please, Ojii-san?"

The Sandaime's eyes were ever so slightly narrower now, and Sasuke was sure that he was just as aware as Sasuke about the oddity of Naruto's knowledge. "I'll consider it, but you need to have done more than one D-Rank for even a chance."

Naruto shrugged. "Fine," he said. "I guess that's the best answer I'm going to get." He turned to Kakashi. "Can we do another mission today?"

"Maybe," said Kakashi. "I want a word with you; and you, Hokage-sama. In private."

_Oh no, _Sasuke thought. They were going to interrogate Naruto on his jutsu – and his knowledge of his family. This was bad. Sasuke was the more accomplished liar – he had to be there!

Now the Sandaime's eyes were undeniably narrow. "Certainly, Hatake-san. Madam, if there is nothing else, then I am afraid I have need of my office."

"Oh, certainly, Hokage-san!" said the woman, and walked out, still suffocating her now almost pitiable cat.

"Sakura, Sasuke, if you could just wait outside," Kakashi said, "I'd be very much obliged."

Sasuke opened his mouth and caught Naruto's eye. _No,_ the Jinchuuriki was telling him. _Let me handle this. You'll get yourself in a bind._

Sasuke closed his mouth, bit his lip, and gave Naruto a tiny nod. The blond seemed satisfied.

All of this had taken place before Sakura could even finish saying, "Yes, Kakashi-sensei!" When she had, Sasuke followed her out of the room, and Kakashi shut the door behind them.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. _Naruto…_he thought. _…Good luck._

* * *

As soon as the door shut, Kakashi began. "Hokage-sama, permission to speak freely?"

"Granted," nodded Hiruzen. "What is this about, Kakashi-san?"

"I'll start at the beginning," said Kakashi, thinking back, recalling every detail of the previous two days. "When I went to pick up my Genin team the day before yesterday, I was caught in an advanced trap they'd set for me. If I were rating it, I'd say it was mid Chuunin level in complexity, and I'd give them extra points for the two facts that it was able to avoid seriously injuring me and that it was built entirely from supplies on hand on the Academy grounds."

"Actually," Naruto put in suddenly. "I got the mallets from a carpentry shop a block away. Other than that, it was all stuff in the Academy."

Kakashi frowned. "If we're on the subject, where'd the bell come from?"

"One of the teachers had it," said Naruto. "I pulled out the little metal ball, took off the handle, and hung it up."

Kakashi nodded, but before he could say anything, the Hokage put in, "While this is all very interesting and somewhat amusing, it's not very enlightening. Continue, please, Hatake-san."

Kakashi nodded. "My apologies, Hokage-sama. When I was doing the introductory routine with them, both Naruto and Sasuke gave unusually mature responses which seemed to imply experiences not recorded in any of our files. For instance, Sasuke stated that his ultimate goal was to atone for his sins, which of course seems out of character and seems to have no definite source. In addition, Naruto referred to a 'man in an orange mask' and implied that he intended to kill him; as well as suggesting that he'd attempted to before."

The Hokage was now looking between Kakashi and Naruto; his eyes were still narrowed. Naruto looked almost bored, hands in his pockets, staring out the window. "Interesting," said Hiruzen slowly. "Is there more?"

"Yes," said Kakashi, glancing over at Naruto for an instant before turning back to the Hokage. "Yesterday, during the Genin test. While it isn't unbelievable, it is suspicious. They won, you see – they incapacitated me and took the bells. It was almost as if they knew what the test was." And there was the odd, slight twitch he'd been looking for. He knew the Hokage had seen it too; Naruto had made a sudden movement, hard to place – but it was as much as a shouted assent to a Ninja as skilled as even Kakashi, and the Hokage was better still. Kakashi swallowed the sense of victory. "The really damning thing, though – if you'll excuse the expression – is what happened today." He looked at Naruto again, and now the boy's fists were clenched in his pockets. He was worried. "He has invented a nature combination – fire and wind." The Hokage's eyes widened in shock. "And, when his teammates questioned him on whether that was in his family, he was able to answer with a definite no."

The Hokage stared at him for an instant and then slowly turned to Naruto. The boy sighed and grunted, "I'll tell you what I can."

"No," Hiruzen shook his head. "You'll tell me everything, Naruto. What do you know about your family? Who is the man in the orange mask? What is all of this?"

Naruto looked at him, and his eyes were flints. "Let me pose my own questions, Hokage." Kakashi noticed the lack of an honorific. "What made you think the son of the Yellow Flash was without any resources? Why would you assume that the Yondaime would leave me entirely without information?"

Hiruzen's eyes were wide. So were Kakashi's, now he thought of it. He allowed them to close to normal levels. "Explain, please, Naruto," he said.

"No," said Naruto flatly. Now he turned to the Hokage; the next line must have more meaning for him than for Kakashi. "Star-Rank secret."

Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, pursing his lips. Kakashi looked at him. "Star-Rank?"

Hiruzen nodded. "It's very existence is an S-Rank secret," he said. "The Star Rank is reserved for secrets so important that they are reserved by one Hokage and are not to be told even to following Hokage. I assume all of this is Star-Rank, Naruto?"

"Everything I haven't already told you," said the boy flatly.

"We could interrogate him," Kakashi suggested to the Sandaime.

Sarutobi shook his head. "The fact that he knows about the Star-Rank is enough proof for me that he's telling the truth," he said. "Naruto, I entrust all of this, whatever it may be, to you. Please be careful."

Naruto smiled slightly and nodded. "Thanks, Ojii-san. I will."

The Hokage nodded. "You two may go," he said. "Go and train your team, Kakashi."

* * *

_Damn well done, Kit, _Kurama said to Naruto as they followed Kakashi out of the office. _Not a single lie._

Naruto grinned inwardly. _Yep. It __**is**__ a Star-Rank secret. All of it. What they don't realize is that I was the one who authorized it!_

* * *

**A/N: There you are. The ending was hard to get right, and I'm still not quite satisfied with it, but I think it's suitable. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!**


	16. Chapter 15: Reacceleration

**A/N: Here's your next chapter. I told a lot of you that things weren't so simple as they seemed. Kakashi, here, agrees.**

**Now, I have a guest review which, I feel, needs a reply. It was, in nature, the first review of its kind I have received, not only in this story, but ever. Kazoo, I thank you with all my heart. I have never before received a review that first, did not try to soften its blows and simply told me straight out what my flaws were; second, was not a flame of some kind; and third, gave me a veritable king's ransom of constructive criticism. You may well had quite literally made me a richer person – that review will improve my writing, including that writing which I intend to publish for profit, which will in turn cause more of that writing to sell. But on to my reply. Those who aren't interested, skip on down to the chapter.**

* * *

**Now, in my PM replies, I go through the review paragraph by paragraph. That's what I'll do here. To identify what I'm talking about, go to the reviews page.**

**You're right; it does come far too quickly. I admit it. But I do have justification. The story is worse than it would be if I'd gone slower, but I did consider what I was doing. You see, Naruto is not only forgiving, but – in my opinion – he has a way of looking beyond people's faces and actions and into them. He can often tell a good person from a bad one just by looking at him. And he was trying to save Sasuke as much as anyone else when he came back, so seeing that the other boy was back too, he simply didn't change course.**

**The introductions. Now, you must understand – these two have never really learned patience or moderation. Sasuke's starting the exchange cannot easily be excused, I admit – but I think a part of him, that little, overlooked part of him that is still an unloved child, rather wants Kakashi to find out; to tell him the truth. This sounds like an over-romantic idea from a fangirl, I know, but I have spent quite a lot of time meditating on Uchiha Sasuke's character, and I don't think he is without that little, small part of himself that is still a boy. The rest was simply Naruto, in his utterly espionage-deficient way (even as Hokage I can't see him being subtle) letting Sasuke know, "HEY! I'M HERE TOO!"**

**Now, you clearly have a dislike for Naruto's actions last chapter. I'm not quite certain exactly what the problem is, so I'll go through them one by one with explanations. So, first, Naruto shows off his Kekkei Genkai. He looks like an idiot. Well, frankly, when it comes to espionage, he quite simply is. Kakashi sees it – that's an unfortunate coincidence. If you don't like them, complain to Connie Willis. Reading All Clear has corrupted me. Then he gives away knowledge of how Hokages operate in passing off his stuff as being Star-Rank secrets. Now, I'll explain the Star-Rank in the next paragraph, but you say that Hiruzen should be interrogating Naruto because the Yondaime apparently broke the rule. At least, I think that's what you're saying. Well, he didn't – you misunderstood the rules, as I'll explain now.**

**I think you've misunderstood the Star-Rank's purpose. It's not for secrets exclusively for the Hokage, as you seem to think. It's for secrets that a Hokage has determined are too dangerous to be told except with his permission – even to a later Hokage. I imagine the truth about Itachi might be Star-Rank, because it might be kept from later Hokages simply to preserve the illusion that he wanted maintained. But see, it's not that the secrets can only be kept by the Hokage. Other Ninja – like Naruto and Sasuke – can keep them. The nature of the Star-Rank is that all those who keep the secret aren't forced by the man's rank to tell the Hokage about whatever secret they're keeping. It exists for the simple reason that a society of Ninja must be ready for any eventuality, and there are situations where it's better if even future Hokages don't know the truth.**

**With regards to your last paragraph, I'm glad that you don't mind my story despite its many flaws – some of which even your scrutiny has overlooked. Thanks for your time and help.**

* * *

_Chapter 15: Reacceleration_

* * *

Sasuke sought Naruto's eyes as his teammate followed their Sensei out of the office Sarutobi occupied (though to Sasuke it wasn't for one minute his office). Naruto met his gaze and said silently, _Tell you later._

Sasuke nodded slightly and looked up at Kakashi. The man was looking at him, but he looked away as soon as Sasuke turned to him. _Damn, _Sasuke thought. _I wonder how much Naruto told them?_

"What happened?" Sakura asked the Jounin worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, treating the girl to an eye-smile. "Just clearing something up. Now, I think we have training to do."

Sasuke watched the back of his head as they followed him out of the tower. Naruto soon fell into step beside him and whispered an explanation of what had happened. "I passed it all off as Star-Rank. I'll explain later. Anyone asks you, tell them the Yondaime assigned it all as Star-Rank."

Sasuke nodded. "Got it," he whispered. "What's Star-Rank?"

"Later," Naruto told him. "No time now."

After they reached the training ground, Kakashi gave them a surprise. "Given Naruto's… unusual aptitude with Elemental Chakra Natures," he told them brightly, "I'm accelerating your training program. We'll start into Nature-related Chakra study now."

Sasuke blinked. This should be quite interesting. He'd never really been tested for nature, but he knew he was quite good in both Fire and Lightning. He wondered if both would appear, or just one or the other.

And, come to think of it, though he knew Naruto was naturally Wind-affinitive, he wwondered if the new 'Firestorm Style' might have giving him an additional natural Fire affinity upon creation. He would have to see.

"How will we begin that, Sensei?" Sakura was asking.

"Well, first we have to test each of you to see which Chakra Element you're naturally most capable of channeling," he told her. "Naruto, I assume yours must be Fire, Wind, or both."

Naruto nodded, but didn't elaborate. Perhaps he was as uncertain as Sasuke. "Sasuke, Sakura," Kakashi continued, "do either of you happen to know yours?"

Sasuke considered telling him either Fire or Lightning, but then he might never get his questions answered. "No," he said firmly.

"Me neither," said Sakura, and Sasuke knew she'd waited for him to avoid seeming inferior. _Old habits die hard, _he thought.

"Fine," said Kakashi, nodding. "I want the three of you to practice your Taijutsu forms for a while I go and fetch something. I'll be back in five minutes."

Naruto, seemingly unable to resist the opportunity for a final jab, grinned and said, "We'll expect you back in about two hours then, Sensei."

The Jounin didn't even crack a visible smile as he said simply, "Something like that, yes." Then, with a wave, he was off into the trees.

As soon as he left, Sasuke started helping Sakura through the katas while Naruto drilled a bit on his own. Sasuke fully expected that he'd be able to run Sakura through a form a couple times and then have a word with Naruto; ironically, however, in this one instance, Kakashi outdid himself. He was there, of all things, _early_. Two minutes after he'd left he was back with a small parcel.

"Sorry I'm late," he said in perfect imitation of his usual innocent expression. "There were a bunch of ladders and cracks on the sidewalk, and I couldn't walk under the former or on the latter so-"

"But Sensei," Sakura said, bewildered, "What are you talking about? You're on time!"

"Early, actually," said Sasuke, keeping the grimness out of his voice as he met the Jounin's eyes steadily. _He knows, _he thought. _He knows I'm involved with whatever Naruto's up to. And secret or not, I don't think we're keeping Hatake Kakashi off our trail._

"I am, aren't I?" said the white-haired Ninja with an eye-smile. "I suppose my duty is to inconvenience presumptuous Genin at every turn."

_Presumptuous Genin my foot, _Sasuke said silently. _And you know it perfectly well, don't you, Hatake? I should never have thought I could fool you this easily. I've underestimated you. We both have._

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

_You have no idea how blind you look right now, Sakura,_ Sasuke thought, and felt a wave of pity for her. She seemed doomed to be overshadowed for an extended time from here on; consiodering she would be in constant contact with two time-traveling Ninja geniuses and a prodigious Jounin.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura," Kakashi was saying. "Come here, all three of you."

They did. He was unwrapping the small parcel he'd brought. When he finished, he held up several sheets of a tan papery substance. "This," he said, showing it to them, "Is Chakra-sensitive litmus paper. It's the most commonly accepted way to determine a person's Chakra Nature affinity."

Sakura cocked her head. "How does it work?" she asked.

Kakshi shrugged. "I'm a Ninja, not a physicist," he said wryly. "How should I know? The point is, if you have a lightning affinity, it crinkles; thus." He took one sheet between two fingers. In an instant, it crumpled around his hand. "Fire affinity makes it burn. Earth makes it crumble. Wind cuts it, and water dampens it."

He handed each of them a sheet. "Careful, now," he said. "I've got a limited supply of this stuff, and it isn't cheap. I'd rather we didn't ruin any without using them."

Sasuke nodded, carefully letting the paper rest on his palm as he examined it. It was a light brown in color and slightly thicker than regular paper – a bit like the parchment used in the oldest of scrolls or the papyrus imported from the lands far south and east of the Five Elemental Nations. It was thinner than papyrus, but its texture was less smooth than parchment; in that way, papyrus was its nearer neighbor.

Kakashi instructed them on how to use the material to identify their element. "I might be able to do it between two fingers, but you're not Jounin," he told them. _No, _Sasuke thought, _but one of us is Hokage and another is an S-Rank Missing-nin who commanded the destruction of this village. _He weathered the wave of newfound painful regret that came with that thought as Kakashi continued. "Just put the sheet between your hands and channel Chakra into it. Once you feel the chakra moving, open your hands; and be ready to drop it very quickly if it's on fire."

Sasuke nodded and put his other palm over the material in his hand. Closing his eyes, he tried not to force the Chakra out as his instinct told him to, but to gently push it out through his hands. It was against all of his training, what he was doing now – unaltered, pure Chakra, flowing out without any Hand Seals to shape it, was something he'd never channeled last time. The Rasengan was supposedly similar, but even it, despite the lack of Hand Seals, was embroiled in the idea of changing the Chakra, if only its Form and not its Nature.

Still, his training had also emphasized flexibility of strategy and the ability to adapt, and he had soon worked through the blockages and gotten the Chakra to flow forth. He felt… something… in the paper between his hands, and he drew his upper palm away to see the material crinkling on his palm, just as it was with Kakashi.

"Interesting," said the Jounin, suddenly standing over him. Sasuke looked up. Kakashi was staring down at the paper. He glanced at Sasuke's face. "Uchiha normally have Fire affinity; though I personally think they're more suited to Lightning, like you."

_You're right, _Sasuke agreed inwardly. _The Lightning Style involves sudden, rapid, extremely powerful attacks which are meant to incapacitate the enemy instantly. The Sharingan Eye's targeting capabilities amplify that all the more. Like Chidori – it can't be used easily without a Sharingan or inhuman reflexes because one can't afford to use it without the ability to instantly react to anything the enemy might do while you charge. _But all he said was, "Matter of opinion, Sensei."

"Whoa!" shouted Naruto before the Jounin could reply. Sasuke turned with a rapidity that, he realized belatedly, was quite out of character for a Genin. A lifetime of war and combat had honed him to a point that, he knew, was far beyond the scope of this younger Kakashi's even imagining. Hearing Naruto yelling in surprise was like a jolt of electricity to a wild beast, and he was instantly ready for action of the kind that he was used to.

But Naruto was just standing there, looking down at two twin halves of his piece of litmus paper. It had been cut cleanly in two by the Jinchuuriki's Wind affinity. But Sasuke did not fail to notice that both halves were also on fire – Naruto seemed to have developed, in the creation of the Firestorm Style Kekkei Genkai, a dual affinity for Fire as well as Wind.

"Interesting," said Kakashi, walking lightly past Sasuke over to Naruto, and the Uchiha realized now that Naruto's expression had been more surprised than the situation warranted – as though he'd fully expected something else.

_Damn it! _he thought. _Worse and worse!_

"I guess that creating that new combination gave you a new elemental affinity," Kakashi said to Naruto, and Sasuke almost didn't catch the veiled interrogation.

His eyes widened. _Naruto shouldn't realize that he used to have only one element! _he thought, panicked.

He knew even before Naruto spoke that it was hopeless, that Naruto, despite all of his improvements, was still too open to have even a prayer of defeating Kakashi in this fragile game of espionage; but he still bit his lip in displeasure when Naruto said, still dazed, "I guess so. Cool!" And Sasuke didn't miss the triumph in Kakashi's eyes.

"It's an interesting combination," Kakashi said, his voice composed; though Sasuke knew his mind must be whirring with the implications of what he'd found. "I hope it works out well."

And then Sakura had proven herself to be of the Earth element, and Kakashi had to turn his attention to her.

Sasuke took the opportunity to sidle over to Naruto. "Do you know how much information you just gave Kakashi?" he said, but he wasn't angry. What could they lose, after all? Even if Kakashi drew all the wrong conclusions, all that they'd need was to give away their secrets and lose the advantages of secrecy – but with Madara, every advantage was important. _It's a good thing we came through when we did, _Sasuke thought grimly. _If Madara had gotten Contingency Plan Kitsune off the ground, the world wouldn't stand a chance…_

"No," Naruto quietly exclaimed in surprise, but Kurama cut in.

_Yes, damn it._

Naruto blinked. "What? What did I do?" And then his face took on an introspective look. Kurama was probably explaining his error.

Sasuke took the opportunity to explore the thought that had just come to him. It had never occurred to him just how lucky they were that the opportunity of the Ritual of the Five Stars, as Shukaku had called it, had come around when it had. The time had been perfect. Naruto had lost his village and everyone that had ever meant anything to him – Sasuke clenched his fist, fighting off the pain – and recently enough that the potential determination to save them had not been dulled by time. It was ideal in that way. And Gaara had just been captured. Had he already been taken to a holding facility, he would never have been able to tell Sasuke about the Ritual itself.

But most importantly, Sasuke gave thanks to Kami that the time of the Ritual had come when it had because it allowed them to narrowly dodge that horrific shadow of Madara's mind, Contingency Plan Kitsune. Its prep had been completed only three days prior to their return here. Had Madara completed it, as Sasuke knew he would have all too quickly, despite Naruto's best efforts, it would have removed their last obstacle – namely, Naruto – handed the Eye of the Moon Plan to them on a silver platter, and given the Akatsuki an ally arguably more dangerous and powerful than the orange-masked man himself.

_No, not arguably, _thought Sasuke sickly as he looked at Naruto. _Not arguably, _he thought as he considered his own part in the terrible plot. _Definitely._

The creature's cloak swirled around him as he contemplated the small island on the horizon.

_The Land of Waves, _he thought. _That was the sight of the boy's first mission. With luck, it'll also be the site of his last._

The creature turned in the direction where, miles away, he knew Konohagakure no Sato, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, lay blissfully unaware of all that was even now occurring outside its walls.

_The Nara may know, if the fool Shikamaru got out in time, _he admitted to himself.

The blue lenses that served as his eyes spun wildly in the nearest thing he could do to a narrowing of the eyes. _Naruto-teme, _he said to himself, _the Dishonored is coming._

And underneath the silver mask that hid his face, the creature gave a wild grin.

* * *

**A/N: That, dear readers, is what we call foreshadowing! Yes, I have shamelessly borrowed ideas from Bethesda's new game, Dishonored, for this new villain; but at the same time, he's not entirely an OC. I leave it to you to figure what that means.**

**Contingency Plan Kitsune is my own creation, and I'm not telling.**

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please review!**

**A secondary note: Do you all realize that my A/N's and the reply to kazoo are over a thousand words together? That's about half the actual chapter! Ridiculous, right?**

**First Revision Notes:**

**I feel I must explain something about the Dishonored in response to the large amounts of dislike he's gotten. I said I borrowed ideas from the game Dishonored. I meant, simply, that the game's trailer was my inspiration. I know nothing about the game beyond what was obvious in the trailer. It was that trailer which inspired the character. He has nothing to do with the actual game. I hope that clears that up.**


	17. Chapter 16: Reacquaintance

**A/N: Well, judging by the fact that I've gotten more negative reviews over last chapter than any of the prior ones, the Dishonored character was not well received. Shame. He's still in, though. Same with everything I do. I'm sure you all understand this, but as I've said to one irate reviewer already, my story is not a democracy. Quoting a certain Legend of Zelda fanfiction here – 'The Golden Power'; it's superb, by the way.**

**Continuing the quotation, I have the only vote. Anyone who wants can make any request that suits them, and I'll do my best to accommodate the tastes of anyone who I can. But I notice that a lot of the unhappy reviews that I've been getting have either been guests – which means that I doubt they've ever reviewed previously for the story – or one-timers, for whom their first review ever was to tell me that they didn't like what I was doing. In that case, I must ask, why should I care? You're not bothering to tell me your views. You're not helping me improve. You're just making noise.**

**To those loyal reviewers who have left me a note at almost every corner – and none of whom, I notice, have told me I've gotten terrible – I'm going to take this opportunity to thank you with all my heart. You guys are the best.**

**Now that I'm done ranting, I have something to suggest. Probably not the best time, since I seem to have just lost several readers; but I don't care. This little 'poll', for want of a better word, is open, and can be answered by review. I'm not putting it on my profile, since I tried that once for almost a year and nothing happened – literally, not a single reply. Just review or PM me your answers – and please, guests with no account, don't spam my inbox with repeated answers. That would be annoying; though I would dearly love to get that many reviews.**

**Anyway, here's my question – I've been considering, after this story finishes, writing a sequel; and perhaps more afterwards. The sequel – and any future installments – would each be centered around one specific Naruto-fic cliché, like this one is with time travel. The second book would probably be a next-generation. I can't see further than that, simply because I have a limited library of Naruto clichés at my disposal. So what do you think? Should I write that sequel? Also, do you have any suggestions for other clichés I might consider? Let me know, please!**

**Anyway, that was another long A/N. I need to be more concise with these. Done now. Here's your chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 16: Reacquaintance_

* * *

The afternoon was growing old. The trees' shadows were lengthening across the grassy clearing, and the sun was larger than it had been at noon over the clear horizon.

Kakashi leaned against the stump of a tree, watching as Sasuke led Sakura through one of the basic academy Taijutsu katas. Naruto, on the other side of the glade, was running through a surprisingly rigorous exercise routine.

_Maybe it's not so surprising, _the man thought, watching the blond Genin as he did pushups in a handstand. _Something's odd about that boy._

Naruto was hiding something - and it was more than the mysterious Star-Rank secrets tucked away in his skull. Kakashi had proven that when he proved that the blond child had known his own elemental affinity prior to being tested.

The boy had learned from someone – had been taught Ninjutsu, and elemental ones, before becoming Kakashi's Genin apprentice. Minato had obviously left some sort of message for the boy – he knew is heritage; and more things that were sealed to even the Sandaime. But that didn't explain the boy's being taught advanced Ninjutsu – For that, one needed a living Sensei, and even with the Yondaime's advanced sealing capabilities, he couldn't give his son the extended training that was needed to master Ninjutsu theory enough to warrant elemental testing by any normal regimen.

At this point, Kakashi might have been asked by anyone listening in to his thoughts, why he was testing his Genin's elemental affinity. To this, he would reply with a nod at Naruto – and, to a lesser degree, Sasuke – and the simple statement that with this team, he could scarcely conform to a 'normal' training scheme.

On a whim, he looked at his watch. It was five – time to part ways. "All right, you three, enough for today," he called to the trio of kids (was he ever that small?). Naruto flipped quickly upright, wincing and massaging his arms. _At least he's not an absolute maniac, like that little doppelganger of Gai's, _Kakashi thought with a mental shrug. _I'm not sure I could deal with that._

"Five already?" Sasuke said as he eased out of his cat-stance and led Sakura across the clearing towards them.

Kakashi took a quick mental note of that. Every Jounin had a different let-out time, so that the village would never be completely unprotected – some teams operated at night for that precise reason, though those usually consisted of Chuunin, not Genin. Now he had another thing to nail these two for – this time Sasuke, not Naruto.

Once he had noted his thoughts down to his satisfaction, a process taking about a quarter of a second, he nodded at the Uchiha heir. "Yes," he said. "We're done for today."

"So, we finish at five?" Sakura asked, and Kakashi was sure he hadn't imagined the look of chagrin and something like worry on Sasuke's face – he clearly had noticed his own slip-up. That meant that he was trying to lay low. Interesting. Naruto, clearly had been too.

Another interesting point was that, despite having been in regular contact with everyone from the Hokage downward, neither of them had shown any of these secretive tendencies until recently. Kakashi was sure he'd have realized if they were – he was a regular part of the ANBU detachment to watch over the both of them. Even if he hadn't, though, someone was sure to have.

Which meant, in no uncertain terms, that whatever secrets these two were keeping, they'd only started keeping them recently. Which made no sense – Naruto couldn't have received enough training in that short a time to have learned his elemental affinity – and even if he had, creating a Kekkei Genkai was sure to take an extended period of time. Far longer than the month or so for which the boy had seemed to exhibit these signs. None of it added up.

Kakashi suddenly felt a strange sensation on the tip of his consciousness – a feeling as if of being on the edge of a pool of realization, and he suddenly thought of how a friend of his who was a bit of an amateur astrologer who'd mentioned an anomaly in the night sky about a month ago and recalled, from long ago, Shukaku telling him… something about a ritualistic jutsu involving stars…

Then Naruto tapped him on the shoulder and asked worriedly, "Kakashi-sensei, are you all right?" and the thought was gone.

Kakashi shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "Lost myself in thinking. Yes, Sakura, we finish at five each day."

The girl nodded, as though ten-hour work days were the most natural thing in the world – despite the fact that she was likely even now in transition from the seven hours of academy life. She looked… odd – as though her mind was elsewhere, and also quite excited. She regularly glanced at Sasuke, too. _Has the boy done something ridiculous, _he wondered, _like ask her out? _He chuckled inside at the ludicrousness of the idea.

"Well," he said, looking around at his Genin, and he was struck suddenly by how similar they really were to his team. Naruto and Sasuke were off from what he'd have expected, true, but when he looked at them, he saw himself and Obito with more clarity than he'd have believed – and Sakura might as well have been Rin reincarnated.

And yet, the thought was less painful than he'd have expected. _I'm getting old, _he thought ruefully. _Scars may not heal, but they fade. And looking at these three, it's like we're reborn._

But this time he didn't allow his thoughts to get in the way of his speech. With barely a pause in his words, he continued, "I'll see you three tomorrow. Good evening."

With that he left them, and as soon as he was out of their sight, he made for a house where his acquaintance, Akima, who was an amateur astrologer, lived.

* * *

Sasuke wanted to talk to Naruto as soon as Kakashi left they needed to talk, and it needed to be tonight – they needed a plan. If they were somehow found out, or if the Jounin nabbed them for some other suspicion, what would they do? They'd done too much today to go unnoticed. Their Sensei would be on guard from here on; and if there was any man capable of working out the truth in Konoha – excluding the Nara, who had an unfair advantage – it was Hatake Kakashi.

Unfortunately, he had an appointment to keep. And, despite the nuisance, he had no intention of canceling his date with Sakura. He was here to fix things, after all – and remembering the end of Sakura's relations with him made him sick with his newfound guilt.

"Well, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, taking his hand. Sasuke resisted the impulsive urge to pull away. The girl had loved him last time – the way she'd refused to come at him with the intent to kill even as he pushed her to the edge of death was proof enough for him that the childhood crush had evolved, somehow into something greater. The least he could do for her now was to at least give her a chance to do it in peace; even if he couldn't love her, he could at least give her these memories of happiness that, perhaps, would endure longer in her heart than the inevitable rejection.

And even if it didn't, he could at least do her the favor of using this to train her away from her old fangirl-y ways. If she didn't change, he couldn't foresee any kind of happy ending for her.

All of these thought and more were running through his mind even as he nodded at her. "Where shall we eat?"

"Oh, I'd forgotten you two had a date!" Naruto said happily, clapping Sasuke on the shoulder. "Good for you both! Sasuke, if you finish before eleven, I'll be waiting up at home. If it's before then when you're done, come over. I want a word."

_And so does the Kyuubi, I'm sure, _Sasuke thought grimly. _Lots of words._

"I'll find you later," was all he said aloud. "If I can't make it tonight, I'll look you up early tomorrow."

"I come to the training ground about as early as Kakashi is late," Naruto told him. "That's where you can find me." He winked at each of them in turn. "Don't do anything that'll make me feel too left out, all right?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Sakura's hand tightened around his own. "Naruto…" she ground out.

With a laugh, the Jinchuuriki back-flipped out of her reach and into a tree. "See you!" And he was off.

Sasuke shook his head at the Hokage-in-child's-form's antics. Still, something he said was bothering him. He turned to Sakura. "We will be done before eleven, won't we? I think by that time we'd just be falling asleep on each other." Then, seeing the dreamy look he'd come, over the years, to associate with all fangirls everywhere, he added quickly, "_No_, that's not a good thing."

She shook her head, almost as though to clear it. _Good, _he thought, _you're learning. _"No, of course not," she said, then glared after Naruto. "The idiot's obviously never been on a date before. Even I'd probably get tired of your company after eight hours nonstop on a first date."

_He has been on a date before, _thought a tiny part of Sasuke's mind while the rest stared at the girl in front of him in shock – she really _was_ learning. _With Hyuuga Hinata. And they would have gotten married except… _Sasuke forced his thoughts not to finish their trail, fighting the rising sea of agonizing guilt that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Well, that's good, I suppose," he said, looking for a way to say what he wanted to without offending her – Kami, this was more difficult than he'd expected; he couldn't even imagine how hard it must be for people who got flustered in their date's presence. "I really do need a word with him after we're done."

She looked at him, and there was a resignation in her eyes that Sasuke would never have expected to see there, and he was hit by a wave of some other emotion he'd seldom felt before – pride. "You can go now, if you'd like," she sighed, letting go of his hand.

He deftly took hers back. "No," he said. "He can wait."

Even as he spoke, his mind whirred, considering. She really was learning – she was already taking his desires into account tenfold more than she had before his intervention began. This was where his carrot-stick training came in to play – when she was a fangirl, he would reject her, and when she was a civilized human being, he would reward her; for instance, by taking her out to dinner.

But he also had to be somewhat careful. He couldn't pretend to have any kind of experience with the various chemistries of pubescent Ninja, but he had a feeling that if he over-rewarded Sakura, she would naturally revert to her old, ridiculously annoying self.

This was made quite clear by her wide, dazzled eyes that looked to be as problematic as ever. Sasuke mentally sighed – it seemed there was still quite some way to go. "Calm down, though," he admonished.

Again she shook her head, as though consciously clearing it, and he admired her for an instant. He saw for a moment that she, like him, had many flaws – but he could never so quickly shake their effects. Even with Naruto's help it had taken weeks of going through various evolutionary stages before he had reached the point where he could once again feel the crushing guilt for what he had done.

"Sorry," she said. "It may take me a while."

He looked at her for a moment, considering, and then he said, "You do understand, don't you, what I'm asking of you?"

She nodded hesitantly. "You don't want me to…" then she frowned, trying to put words to her thoughts. "You don't want me being clingy and obsessive," she decided, then looked at him worriedly. "I'm right, aren't I?"

He nodded. "Exactly. You'll never have a chance with anyone if you treat them like that – especially not someone like me." _And you shouldn't want one, either… _"Come on. I know a good dango place, unless you'd rather somewhere else."

"What do you mean, 'someone like you'?" Sakura asked as he led her towards the village.

He didn't look at her as he replied, "Someone who doesn't know how to feel what you want them to. Like I don't."

* * *

Naruto looked up from the seal he was painting when he heard a knock on the door of his apartment.

_Sasuke,_ he thought, relieved. He'd been worried the Uchiha wouldn't be able to come.

Still, it might actually be an ANBU squad, come to interrogate him. With this in mind, he quickly opened the drawer of his desk as he called, "Coming!" He placed the painted paper carefully into the compartment and closed it. Then he stood and left his room, entering the 'other room'. He crossed to the doorway and said quietly, "Who is it?"

"Sasuke," grunted the Uchiha's voice from outside. "Let me in."

Naruto gave himself a moment to sigh in relief and then opened the door quietly to the darkness outside.

Sasuke slipped in silently and shut the door behind him. "We need to talk, Naruto," he said.

"No kidding," Naruto nodded in agreement.

_And I hope you don't mind, but I want input as well, _Kurama added to both of them. _This does, after all, affect me as well._

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Fine," he said.

"We'll talk in my room," Naruto said. "I've got a seal I need to finish."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked as he followed Naruto into the bedroom.

Naruto shrugged as he sat down at his desk. "Mostly just practice to keep my skills sharp," he replied, "It's an elemental seal. I'm intending to charge it with my Firestorm Chakra when I've mastered the style and attach it to a weapon."

Sasuke nodded. "Should we wait on talking until you're done?"

"Yeah," said Naruto, trying to block out Sasuke's voice as he worked. "Just let me set the seal so it doesn't blow me sky-high in my sleep tonight. Give me a minute."

Sasuke, obligingly, didn't answer, and Naruto was free to paint in the next curving lines. The seal currently consisted of three layers – the first two consisted each of three nodes, the third currently consisted of two – and, as Naruto knew from his long-ago stint with the Five Element Seal atop the Yondaime's eight-pronged Reaper Death Seal, odd numbers and even numbers did not mix in Fuuinjutsu.

It took a few minutes, but eventually Naruto finished the swirls that signified the completion of the third node. "There," he sighed, relieved, replacing the paper seal in the drawer.

_It didn't blow up on you this time, _Kurama observed.

He had clearly transmitted the words to Sasuke as well, for the black-haired boy asked, "Does that happen often?"

"No," Naruto told him flatly, mentally sending Kurama a glare. "The furball's just being annoying."

He leaned to the side, trying to spin his chair around, before remembering that at this point in time, he'd been lucky to have a desk, let alone a spinning chair.

"I forgot how annoying poverty is," he grumbled, standing, manually rotating his chair, and sitting back down. "No luxuries."

Sasuke's mouth twitched. "Hit Chuunin in the exams this time, then. I will too."

Naruto nodded, cracked his neck, and folded his hands, taking the pose he'd worn as Hokage. "Okay," he said. "First, we need to list everything Kakashi's figured out."

"And Hiruzen," Sasuke added, and Naruto noted the way he didn't refer to the man by his title. Perhaps he wasn't as loyal to the village as Naruto had hoped – but then, why would he be? What had happened to make him loyal? Nothing, yet – Naruto would have to see to that, when he could.

But that was the Hokage in him speaking, not Sasuke's friend.

Kurama was replying to Sasuke as he thought. _Sarutobi won't investigate unless Kakashi can give him evidence that we're a threat, _he said. _The suggestion of the Star-Rank was enough to satisfy him – but Kakashi was the Yondaime's apprentice. He's curious what his dead mentor's up to._

Sasuke shook his head in bewilderment. "You still haven't explained the Star-Rank. What the hell does your dad have to do with it?"

Naruto nodded. "The Star-Rank is a special rank for missions and secrets above the S-Rank," he explained. "Star-Rank secrets are set up by one Hokage, divulged at his discretion, and may even be kept from future Hokage unless they are permitted to be told by the assigning Hokage."

Sasuke nodded slowly, understanding dawning like light on his face. "So you've officially assigned all of our secrets as Star-Rank," he said wonderingly, "And Sarutobi just assumes that it's your dad who assigned it. You've passed everything – our knowledge, our skill, all of it – off as having been delivered to us posthumously by the Yondaime?"

"Pretty much, yeah," said Naruto with a grin.

Sasuke chuckled slightly. "Genius. But Kakashi's still suspicious?"

_We can tell he is, _Kurama grunted. _He spent the entire afternoon gathering information about you two._

"True," Sasuke conceded. "So we have to try to prevent him from working out anything if we can avoid it."

"Exactly," Naruto nodded. "And to do that, we need to work out what _he's _already worked out."

Sasuke frowned. "Why?" he asked. "Can't we just keep everything else from him?"

Naruto looked at him flatly. "Do you really think we'll manage that?" he asked. "No, Sasuke – things will come out, one by one – and that's assuming nothing happens out of our control to spill it all. We need to prioritize – those secrets that are most important to keep away from him are those that would give it all away. And to know that, we need to know what he knows."

Sasuke shrugged. "If you say so."

"Well, look at this scenario," Naruto said. "Say there's a war going on. Say one side has decoded the other side's radio transmissions, or intercepted a message. Say they know where the enemy's going to attack.

"So they station extra troops there, or evacuate the area. The enemy knows now that _they _knew where the troops were headed. So now it becomes imperative that the first side not allow the other side to realize that there were no scouts following their movements; if they do, they'll realize the truth – that their messages are being intercepted."

Naruto cocked his head at Sasuke. "Do you see?" he asked. "There were three secrets – one that the one side knew where the other side's troops were moving, one that there weren't scouts thereabouts, and the last being that the messages were being intercepted. If the first two were found out, the third would come to light; but if only one of those two got found out, it wouldn't."

Sasuke just grunted, staring oddly at Naruto. The blond frowned. "What?"

"Nothing," said the Uchiha quietly. "It just struck me how good of a Hokage you are."

Naruto looked down, childishly pleased despite himself. "I tried."

"Try," Sasuke corrected. "You're still Hokage, as far as I'm concerned."

That explained why Sasuke referred to the Sandaime by his name. "Then stop flattering me," said Naruto in his best businesslike voice, "Or I'll have you arrested for attempted bribery."

They stared at each other for a moment before Sasuke chuckled and Naruto broke down laughing.

"Anyway," Sasuke said once they'd both settled down. "I think I understand. You're saying we need to know what he's worked out so we don't inadvertently give up our entire secret by giving him a few vital pieces of the jigsaw."

"Exactly," said Naruto, nodding. "So, let's get down to work."

It took them until long past midnight to list all of the information Kakashi had and determine what information they couldn't give away.

"Okay," said Naruto after they were sure they'd finished. He handed Sasuke one of the two exactly similar sheets of paper he'd written. "Memorize that as soon as you can and then destroy it."

Sasuke nodded, taking the document. "What do we need now?"

"Now we need a plan," Naruto said. "If Kakashi does figure everything out, I'm expecting him to confront us before going to the Hokage – that's assuming he doesn't draw a wrong conclusion. In that case, what do we do?"

Sasuke frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Naruto shrugged, "we need to prevent anyone else from finding out, even if Kakashi does. So we need a plan for how we'll keep him from spilling it all."

* * *

Sasuke nodded in understanding. "Got it," he said, and it struck him how odd it was to be the one who didn't understand what was going on for once. _Difference between the Hokage and his ANBU, I guess, _he thought. "Shouldn't we just tell him our story as a first resort?"

_That sounds like something Naruto would come up with,_ Kurama laughed. _Tell him, and divulge your position as an S-Rank Missing-nin who is largely responsible for the fall of Konoha and for his own death? Admittedly, I think it's a good idea – it'd get you out of my fur._

"But I'd rather keep you out of Ibiki's claws," Naruto finished. "What we really need to do is to decide what to tell him."

Sasuke shrugged. "We should tell him just a barebones explanation not of _how_ everything happened but _that _it did. For instance, instead of telling him _how _Konoha fell, tell him _that _it did."

"That's what I was thinking, too," Naruto agreed. "And if he asks about you, tell him you graduated at these next Chuunin Exams and that you reached Jounin a year before I made Hokage. Tell him that I immediately named you ANBU agent Dragon."

Sasuke nodded, committing the fabrication to memory. "Fine. And you?"

"Why would he ask you about me?" Naruto asked, confused.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. _Guess he hasn't quite mastered this kind of planning yet, _he said to himself. "To find out if I'm lying," he said, and though he didn't say it, the word 'idiot' was thick on the air.

Naruto's eyes widened and his face reddened ever so slightly. "Oh. Duh. Sorry. Anyway, I graduated at the Chuunin Exams after you, made Jounin with you, and was Hokage one year before shit hit the fan and the village was destroyed. If he asks, Madara did that. You can tell him everything we know about Madara."

Sasuke grunted in assent. "So I made Jounin in three years, Chuunin in six months, and ANBU in four years?"

"Yep," said Naruto. "Works?"

"Wait," Sasuke said quickly. "What if he asks how we found out what we know about Madara?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "He won't," he chuckled. "Haven't you noticed that all of the really powerful, really evil Ninja we've faced absolutely _love _monologues?"

Sasuke laughed quietly. "You make a good point. That's what I'll tell him.

"Great," said Naruto. "Works?"

"Works," Sasuke said.

Naruto grinned tiredly at him. "Good. I'm tired." He looked over at his clock. "Wow – it's almost two in the morning. I feel bad sending you out this late. Want to bunk here? The accommodations aren't the best – hell, what accommodations? – but if you don't want to go out at this time of night…"

"No," said Sasuke smoothly – Naruto probably didn't have enough bedclothes for him, and the two-room apartment didn't appeal to him in the slightest. "I'll take you up on that offer _after _we've scaled up your quality of life."

Naruto grinned. "You do that." He walked Sasuke to the door and opened it for him. "See you around."

Sasuke nodded at him. "See you." And then he was out in the night and the door was closing quietly behind him.

* * *

**A/N: HOLY CRAP. FOUR THOUSAND WORDS. IN TWO DAYS. Actually, I technically wrote about six thousand, but a thousand of them were crap, so I replaced them, and another thousand is A/N's.**

**Anyway, some of these characters may appear OOC in this chapter. I assure, I've considered all of them and I've tried to clarify in chapter why they're still, IMO, in character. If you have any questions I didn't answer, let me know. Please, don't just tell me, "Character X was OOC." Tell me why you think so.**

**Anyway, I sincerely hope you enjoyed the CORL –Chapter of Ridiculous Length (Princess Bride reference!) Speaking of which, only one person noticed the Star Trek reference last chapter. I'm ashamed of you, readers. Just kidding.**

**Anyway, you'll notice I skipped that date scene. I do that kind of thing. It means, pretty much, that nothing important happened there. I'll put in date scenes and suchlike if they have any sort of meaning – but otherwise, they don't get written. Sorry to those who were looking forward to fluff, but it's way too early for that anyway.**

**Remind me no to give myself only two days to write a chapter next time, guys – I should be in bed now. This is Friday, not Saturday, when I'm writing this. I'll post it tomorrow – which will be Saturday. And now I'm kind of rambling. Sorry.**

**I fully expect typos here – I'm using the 'g'-slaying laptop again. Let me know where they are and I'll fix them in my revision.**

**Please review. We're getting into the fun stuff now, and I detect an approaching timeskip. Just a little hint.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	18. Chapter 17: Reforging

**A/N: Hey all! I'm writing this under the most unusual circumstances yet; and better still, I'm writing it all in one day! To top it off, it's only Monday! Do you realize what this means? I can get ahead of schedule on chapters! I can turn my attention to my other stories!**

…**Or I can play Skyrim until my brains leak out. Whichever I decide on.**

**Whatever. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 17: Reforging_

* * *

Kakashi leaned against the wooden door frame, watching the woman – Shikaku's wife – making her way into the next rooms to look for the man himself.

Kakashi hadn't made it to the Nara's little corner of the village (after what had happened with the Uchiha, calling it a compound was an insult) the previous evening, but he had spoken with the astrologer. The anomaly was apparently that five stars had suddenly skipped about five years of their orbital cycle. Akima had said that it wasn't quite as dramatically weird as it seemed – those five stars, Chizu, Suizu, Kazu, Fuuzu, and Kuuzu, were known for their erratic behavior – but it was still an interesting phenomenon.

This did not allay Kakashi's curiosity in the slightest. He didn't know what he was looking for – though he'd almost had it the previous day – but he knew the answers, whatever they were, lay with the Nara.

It was just a matter of figuring out what question went with them.

The woman – her name was Nara Yoshino – came back into the entrance hall in the middle of his musings. "Shikaku says he's expecting you," she told him.

Kakashi shrugged. "Leader of the Nara," he said, more to himself than Yoshino. "Should have known he'd be waiting."

She laughed lightly. "Good point. They're in here," she added, stopping at a closed cloth door.

Kakashi frowned, though she wouldn't be able to see it behind his mask. "They? Why the plural?"

"Oh, Shikamaru's been doing everything with Shikaku since-" Yoshino began, and then she stopped, as though remembering that what she'd almost said was a secret. "Shikamaru's in there too," she finished lamely.

The Jounin frowned at her for a moment. It seemed everyone was keeping secrets – perhaps the conversation with Shikaku wouldn't be as simple as he'd hoped. He shrugged wearily; there was nothing he could do. "Thank you," he told her, and entered the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Shikaku seemed to be playing Shogi with his son – and, to Kakashi's shock, the man seemed to be losing. However, they both stopped the moment he entered, so he couldn't be certain.

"Kakashi," said Shikaku, breaking into a wide smile. He stood up and crossing the room in three strides shook Kakashi by the hand. "It's been far too long."

Kakashi treated him to an eye-smile. "Absolutely. It's good to see you again."

"Oh yes; you haven't even been in contact since Hatake-senpai left the ANBU, right?" Shikamaru asked suddenly.

Kakashi did a double-take. "Wait," he said, and then couldn't think of what question to ask – he settled for, "what?"

Shikamaru chuckled, stood up, and bowed to the startled Sharingan user. "ANBU Agent Hawk, serving the Rokudaime Hokage, at your service."

"Yeah," said Shikaku to Kakashi's stuned eye – the only part of his fully stunned face to be seen. "It came as a bit of a surprise to us, too; and we were expecting something, at least."

Shikamaru nodded, looking at Kakashi appraisingly. "I'd forgotten just how lazy you looked all the time," he said thoughtfully. "You changed after a while." He turned to his father. "Dad, please leave us alone. Kakashi and I need to talk about some of the more delicate topics."

"I.e. the ones you refuse to explain," grumbled Shikaku. "Fine. Kakashi, we'll catch up over tea when you're done here, all right?"

"Wait…" Kakashi said bewilderedly. "I came to see you, not your son. And-"

"Calm down, Kakashi," Shikamaru said, waving him to silence – a formidable feat for a twelve year old. "I have the answers – more of them than Dad does. Sit down."

They both sat down. "Now," Shikamaru began. "Don't ask questions until I'm done, all right?"

Kakashi nodded and settled down to listen.

Shikamaru appraised him for a moment before speaking again. "I assume you've spoken to someone about the anomaly with the five stars about a month ago?"

Kakashi nodded mutely. "Good," Shikamaru said. "That makes things easier. The fact is, those five stars are involved in several ancient ritualistic jutsu. My clan collects record of these. The most notable is the Ritual of the Five Sacred Stars of the Gates of Time. Long name, I know – nobody actually calls it that. Then again, hardly anyone knows it exists. It's in the care of the Nara – it's secret is that every three hundred years, when the Five Sacred Stars – Suizu, Kazu, Kuuzu, Chizu, and Fuuzu – are aligned in a perfect pentagon in the sky, it can be performed to send the user back in time by exactly five years."

Shikamaru cocked his head at Kakashi. "The Stars come back as well, falling into an altered motion cycle; otherwise the Ritual would get, to use the common term, spammed and the world would be stuck in a permanent time loop of five years. The alignment happened last on May seventeenth, Year 271 of the Shinobi Era; five years from about a month ago."

"And you came back through it," Kakashi breathed. The answer to the question he'd been unable to grasp was finally in his reach.

"Yes," said Shikamaru with a nod. "So did Aburame Shino."

Kakashi looked at him for a moment before prompting, "And…"

Shikamaru grinned. "And so did the Rokudaime Hokage – Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto – and his right-hand man, Uchiha Sasuke."

Kakashi didn't move for a moment before saying, "The kid was – will be – Hokage?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No, Kakashi-senpai. He _is_ Hokage. Whether acknowledged for it or not, he's my commander, as well as Shino's and Sasuke's. To put it into the simplest terms, if he ordered me right now to murder the Sandaime…"

"You would?" Kakashi said, while keeping his voice neutral. If the boy said yes, Kakashi had to take him in for a criminal disloyalty offence.

Shikamaru frowned. "…No. That was what I was going to say, but then I realized that if Naruto ordered the Sandaime killed, I'd immediately have him ousted from office for being in some way compromised. He'd never do that. But my point is that my loyalty is first to _my _Hokage, and only then to the Village's Hokage."

Kakashi nodded slowly. He supposed he could understand – if Minato-sensei had stepped down instead of being killed, Kakashi's loyalty would be with him far more than with the Sandaime. As long as he wasn't a threat to the current Hokage – and from what he'd just said, the boy wasn't – Shikamaru could keep his primary loyalties where he liked. For now.

"Anyway," said Shikamaru. "That's what it is. Naruto, Sasuke, Shino and I are from five years in the future. That's enough to answer your questions, I think."

Kakashi nodded. "I'll need your dad's confirmation that this ritual even exists," he told the boy – or was he a man? "But I believe you."

"Good," said Shikamaru. "Now listen carefully." He frowned slightly at Kakashi, once again clearly appraising him. "You must not, under any circumstances, tell anyone about this – about what we are. That includes my family, the Hokage, and anyone else."

Kakashi frowned. "First off, doesn't your dad know all this? And second, you know I have to report this to Sandaime-sama."

Shikamaru sighed. "My dad knows about me and Shino," he said. "Naruto and Sasuke I've kept hidden from him – from the whole clan. I have my reasons. And they – Naruto and Sasuke - don't know about me and Shino, either. We'll operate better as separate cells, and if they know about us, our secret becomes exponentially more compromised."

Kakashi nodded. _The more people hold a secret, the more likely it is to be revealed, _he thought, remembering his lessons in anti-espionage. That was, of course, why Naruto and Sasuke hadn't told him the truth – they wanted their increased power as a secret weapon against their enemies. Shikamaru, however, clearly thought that spending any more energy keeping the secret from him would do more harm than good at this point.

"As to not telling the Hokage, Shikamaru said, "this is a Star-rank secret, authorized by the Rokudaime. That means that at his discretion other Hokage may or may not be told about it. And he has refused the Sandaime the right to this information."

"And how would you know that?" Kakashi said, despite it being an almost exact explanation of the discussion of the previous day in the Hokage's office.

"I have ways of finding things out, Kakashi," said Shikamaru, standing. "And I have ways of keeping people silent if I need to."

Kakashi stood too, his brow creasing as he evaluated the boy before him. He couldn't guess what Nin- and Genjutsu he had, but his body was small, and Nara never really used Taijutsu to any effect. That would be his weakness if he had to be fought.

"And at this point, unfortunately, I must use one." Shikamaru didn't seem happy about it. "What a drag. It shouldn't hurt."

Kakashi tried to charge at the Nara heir, but found himself frozen in place. With an effort, he forced his head to look downward.

His feet were caught in a Shadow Possession Jutsu. He'd seen its effects many times, but it had never been used on him before.

"Wait," he said, since he didn't want to o through a fight right now – especially not with someone who honestly meant him no harm. "Look, can't you just tell the Sandaime yourself and negotiate terms? If anyone's unlikely to cause problems by knowing, it's him."

Shikamaru considered him for a moment. Then he sighed. "Don't tell him until I do. You have my word he'll know by the day after tomorrow. All right?"

Kakashi nodded slowly. "Fine."

"You won't tell him?" Shikamaru seemed intent upon this point.

"No." _But I'll make sure he tells me when – and if – you do so I can know whether you're lying to me or not._

"Good," said Shikamaru. "Dad, you can come back in!" This last was called out in the direction of the doorway.

Shikaku came back in quite quickly. Kakashi was sure he'd been at the door the whole time – possibly trying to listen in. His first few words confirmed the Jounin's suspicions. "You're getting better at those silencing jutsu, Shikamaru," the man said candidly. "I only caught a couple words."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "I'm glad to be making you proud, Dad."

"Shikaku," Kakashi said quickly, "is the time travel jutsu he talked about-"

"Real?" the Nara clan head chuckled. "Very much so, Kakashi; and Shikamaru, as I'm sure you saw, is livin proof of it."

Kakashi nodded. "Thank you. Now I must be going."

"Ah yes," said Shikaku with a grin. "You must be getting to your Genin, am I right? I hear there's something odd about your squad."

_He's working out Shikamaru's secrets, _Kakashi thought. _But what does it matter? They're not mine to keep or divulge. _So he just said, "There'd better be; otherwise, why would I take them on?"

And with that he was gone towards the Memorial Stone to summarize the mysteries to Obito.

* * *

"Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke, right?" Shikamaru was asked by his father the moment Kakashi was out the door.

Shikamaru would have rolled his eyes if his father's offence had been any less grave or been upon anyone other than his Hokage. Given the circumstances, he just said flatly, "The different ways you say their names prove my point – you're just as much a facilitator of hate as the rest of this village."

"Uzumaki means something to you," Shikaku translated. "I do hope you didn't spontaneously decide at some point that children were overrated and that you thought all women were a drag, boy. I'd rather the bloodline continued."

Shikamaru didn't cringe, but it was a near thing. "If you must know, I had a very much female fiancé before all of our enemies decided it was a good idea to pound us flat all at once.

"Mind giving me a name?" his father asked cheerfully.

"Yes," said Shikamaru. "I do." _After all, I doubt you'd be pleased to know I was going to get married to Suna's ambassador – you were dead last time when I proposed, and I sill imagined you turning in your grave…_

"Fine," shrugged Shikaku. "I guess I'll find out one of these days. Anyway, I'm assuming in that case, that Uzumaki became the Rokudaime Hokage?"

"Yes," grunted Shikamaru. "I was his ANBU commander – but don't let Kakashi hear that."

"Why?" Shikaku asked immediately.

"Because in about two hours he'll think Sasuke had that rank," said Shikamaru. "And I don't want him to know I lied to him there or he'll start to wonder what else I've hidden."

"And what else have you hidden?" Shikaku pressed.

"What I've hidden from Kakashi, I'm hiding from you too," said the Nara heir flatly. "Figure it out yourself."

"I could threaten to tell Kakashi…" Shikaku muttered halfheartedly.

"But you won't," Shikamaru finished for him. "The Ritual's been preserved by the Nara for the Nara's use. I've used it, and I know what I'm doing. If I say not to tell Kakashi something, you don't."

"And if your mother tells you not to touch the cookies in the kitchen, you don't."

"…Chouji has _definitely_ been over too much recently."

* * *

**A/N: Shame that neither of our main heroes made it in this time, but they'll be in for a few surprises next chapter. As you can see, I haven't forgotten Shikamaru – he's been plotting this whole time. Shino will get appearances too from here on – I just haven't needed him in the past little while. I'll come up with something for him to do. Oh, just as I write that sentence, an idea comes to me. Brilliant. Look forward to seeing more of our favorite Aburame in the near future!**

**Please review!**


	19. Chapter 18: Rediscovery

**A/N: I wrote this in two hours. They were these last two hours. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to update this week – there's been so much going on. But I managed it. Be grateful.**

**Anyway, secrets are falling like dominoes now. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

_Chapter 18: Rediscovery_

* * *

Sweat dripped off Naruto's brow as he studied the opponent before him. He and Sasuke were sparring again – Taijutsu only. Sakura hadn't arrived at the training ground yet, but they didn't dare go all out even so – Kakashi would be watching, knowing him.

The two Genin stood on opposite sides of the field. Sasuke was attempting to replicate the Sharingan's analytical capabilities without the use of the red eye itself – he acknowledged that it would always augment his skills beyond anything he could reach otherwise, but it would not go amiss to at least attempt to heighten his own skills. Naruto, on the other hand, was focusing on the reacquisition of all the strength and speed he had lost in the ritual. He was certain that at this point he had nearly a quarter of Rock Lee's speed and almost half his strength. That was an achievement, for only training thus for about a month. And after all, his Ninjutsu could frankly wipe the floor with the so-called Green Beast anyway.

They had an odd relationship in the area of Taijutsu combat – Naruto and Sasuke, that is. Naruto was faster, more powerful, and better in almost every respect. His style was a blended mess of all of the forms he had learned or even partly learned over the years – almost impossible to predict or analyze. He was dangerous to any Taijutsu user.

But despite all of this, Sasuke was his equal; for no matter how hard the style was to analyze, Sasuke could at least do it partly. Even with Naruto he was able to predict where the moves would come from and where they would strike. To anyone else, of course, he would have been a force to be reckoned with.

As it was, the two found themselves evenly matched in Taijutsu. This might once have been a source of unfriendly rivalry between them. But now it was only a friendly competition and a golden opportunity for training.

So train they did.

Naruto charged with all the speed he could muster. He formed his left hand into an academy basic-style's fist, while his right folded into the spear-hand of the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist style. He might not be able to channel his chakra through it, but it could still be devastating when used correctly – though he was certain any Hyuuga would have called his uses for their style sacrilege. Except, of course, Hinata.

Even as he ran, he was on the balls of his feet, ready to leap in any direction. This was a very much underrated aspect of martial art. Shinobi tended to attempt to hold their ground in combat, deflecting all attacks. Naruto knew better, and so did the martial artists of the exotics styles in the south. If one was bouncing throughout the combat, one had no need to deflect the forceful strikes. One merely was pushed back onto one's feet.

As he reached Sasuke he was already striking. Sasuke was ready. He bent like a tree in the wind, deftly avoiding the lightning-fast spear-strike Naruto had thrown at his throat. Then he spun, throwing a palm into Naruto's punch, pushing aside to that it struck the air a full foot away from its intended target at the center of Sasuke's face.

Then Sasuke fell, whirling about as he did, and Naruto was only barely able to leap over the sweep that was aimed at his shins. As soon as Sasuke had finished the technique, he was already contorting, avoiding the stomp that would otherwise have crushed his skull. He bent like a whiplash, curving upward until he was standing.

The two fighters both spun about, for they had been facing away from one another, and Sasuke easily blocked the ridge-strike to his throat that had come with the whirl. They both leapt away again, and the stalemate continued, neither fighter even having been seriously struck. The entire exchange had lasted all of fifteen seconds. And they were both breathing only slightly more heavily than when they'd begun.

Suddenly, Naruto heard the sound of slow clapping behind him. He turned.

Kakashi sat on a branch, clapping with a slowness that displayed his characteristic boredom and caustic humor. "Such a performance," he said in a sarcastic, monotone imitation of breathless wonder. "I've never seen such skill before."

Naruto rolled his eyes as Sasuke came to stand beside him. "Ha, ha. What did you want, Kakashi-sensei? Why are you here on time for once?"

Sasuke suddenly added, "And where the hell is Sakura?"

Naruto blinked and looked around. It _was _past the official time, if only by ten minutes, and Sakura was always on time. What was going on?

"I saw to it that she was detained," Kakashi said lazily, leaping off of the tree so as to be on their level. "I wanted a few questions answered, you see.

Naruto steeled himself, praying Sasuke remembered all of their pre-prepared replies and explanations. He'd been expecting this, of course, but it was sooner in coming than he'd hoped.

There was a strange look in Kakashi's eye – one that put him off slightly. He'd been expecting something, but somehow this seemed different. But even more worried was the man seemed to be wondering how to begin. Kakashi was _never _at a loss for words.

"I once read in a book," he finally said, "That, and I quote, 'If there's one person you should never mess with, it's a time traveler.' It wasn't a very good book, but it gets the point across… Rokudaime."

Naruto's fist clenched against his bidding. This, of all things, he had not expected. "Who told you?" he muttered.

"No one," said the man easily. "I figured it out. There are records about the Ritual of the Five Sacred Stars, if you know where to look – and the stars do cause a slight stir among some people when they skip five years."

Naruto grimaced. "Nothing gets by you, does it, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I should hope not, if I taught the Rokudaime," Kakashi grinned. "So you _did_ make Hokage then."

"Yep," said Naruto, but Sasuke cut him off.

"Cut the banter, Hatake," the Uchiha grunted, and looking over, Naruto saw that his eyes were cold and hard as flints. "Who told you? You couldn't possibly have known Naruto was the Rokudaime."

"I guessed," Kakashi said smoothly. "It's not that difficult."

The Jounin was thrown backwards into a tree by Sasuke's side kick. "You forget, Hatake-senpai," snarled Sasuke. "I was and am your Genin student. I know you. You never saw anything in Naruto. You never viewed him as worth your attention. Frankly, I still can't believe or understand it – how on earth you managed to write off Namikaze Minato's son – _your Sensei's _son – as a weakling that quickly, but somehow you managed it. If anyone had told you at this time last time around that Naruto would become Hokage, you'd have told them that they'd had too much to drink. The only reason you believed them this time was because we've been careless. So tell be, Hatake-senpai," and by now the Uchiha was standing over the Jounin, glaring down at him. "Who told you? Who else came through?"

"Wait," said Naruto quickly. Sasuke turned to look at him. "Give me a second. I have an idea." _It has to have been a Leaf Nin, _he thought quickly. _Kakashi wouldn't have believed anyone else. And the only Leaf Nin who survived who would have impressed so much upon him my rank are…_

A slow grin spread over his face and he fought back tears of joy. "Which was it, Kakashi-sensei?" he asked exuberantly. "Shino or Shikamaru?"

Kakashi blinked. "How…?"

Naruto grinned at him. "I failed as Hokage, that's all. So…?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Shikamaru. Shino's one of you as well, though. Now, what did you mean by saying you failed as Hokage?"

"I'd like to know that as well," Sasuke grunted, glaring at him.

"Oh, the village was destroyed, of course," Naruto said easily. "A better Hokage could have prevented that. I'll do better this time. So, Shino and—"

He was, however, cut off, by a punch to the jaw courtesy of Sasuke's right fist. "You bastard," the Uchiha grunted. "You? Failed? Do you have any idea what failure means? _I _failed. You did your best."

Kakashi was looking back and forth between them as Naruto stood up and faced Sasuke. "We both did," he murmured simply. "A Hokage is supposed to protect his village. I failed at that, pure and simple."

Sasuke clenched its fist. "You didn't destroy it, either."

"You weren't Hokage," Naruto countered.

"I would have been ANBU captain, and you know it," Sasuke snarled.

Naruto sighed and nodded. "Yes, you would. But I didn't have to deal with the Uchiha Massacre."

Sasuke shook his head furiously. "And I didn't have to deal with the Kyuubi! Face it, Naruto, I did worse. Much worse. You never failed at all by comparison."

Naruto sighed and sat down. "Maybe you're… no, you are right," he admitted. Then he looked up and met Sasuke's eyes. "I guess we know what to do about it, then, don't we?"

Sasuke held his gaze steadily. "I'm glad for the offer, but no thanks," he grunted. "I'm getting my own redemption."

"Don't be an idiot, Sasuke," Naruto said flatly. "I promised Sakura-chan that I'd bring you back. I don't go for half-measures."

"What are you two talking about?" Kakashi asked brightly. "Shikamaru told me Sasuke _was _ANBU captain. He lied, didn't he?"

"Yes," Sasuke muttered, looking over at him sidelong. "I was nothing of the sort. If Naruto failed by not protecting the village, there's no word for what I did."

* * *

"And what did you do?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke turned to face him fully. "I destroyed it," he said flatly, the agony of the guilt pressing down on him harder than ever. "I remember killing you, Kakashi. I remember killing you, and Sakura, and everyone else Naruto ever cared about."

He sat, partly to talk to Kakashi on his level, and partly because the agony in his heart was making him feel weak at the knees. The Jounin was staring at him in utter amazement. "I only remembered how to feel guilty once I'd come back here. I wasn't happy there, and I didn't know why. When I found the jutsu, I used it. Naruto and I found each other. I… remembered how to feel." He cocked his head at the Jounin. "I know you felt guilty about Obito's death," he said, and his Sensei's eyes widened at that, of course. "But if that's the most guilt you've ever felt, you have no idea what the word even means by comparison. We aren't you team. You're not Minato. You're Sarutobi, and Naruto's Jiraiya, and I'm Orochimaru."

He chuckled dryly at the comparison. "Fitting, I suppose."

"But he's on our side now!" Naruto quickly exclaimed to Kakashi. "You have to trust him! Please!"

Kakashi was looking at Sasuke, and the Uchiha met his eyes, hoping that he could convey the darkness and the guilt in his heart through the black pools.

"…I'll believe it," said Kakashi finally. "Don't make me regret it."

Naruto helped the two of them up. "You said you 'saw to it that Sakura was detained," he said to Kakashi. "Care to explain?"

Kakashi chuckled. "I paid young Konohamaru a few ryou to use your 'Sexy Jutsu' in her presence."

Naruto shuddered. He'd been careful to see to it that his meeting with Konohamaru had gone exactly as it had the first time – if there was one person he never wanted to change, it was him. "Poor kid," he muttered.

Kakashi laughed. "She should be arriving soon."

"Sorry I'm late!" Sakura called at precisely that moment. "Naruto! I'm going to kill you!"

Naruto turned, saw her running at him, and proceeded to run up a tree. "Not my fault!" he yelled down it. "Konohamaru decides how he uses that jutsu!"

"You invented it!"

"It's a valid combat tactic!"

"It does work," Kakashi muttered to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded. "Don't we know it."

"Get down here!" Sakura was yelling.

"No!" Naruto shouted back.

_Just like old times, _thought Sasuke with a slight grin. _It'll stay this way, this time. And Kami damn it, you are going to help us with it, Shikamaru._

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you are! Hope you enjoyed it. We're almost at three hundred reviews. That's ridiculous. I've gotten a grand total of thirty-five(ish) for my second most popular story. Probably cause it's a crossover. I like crossovers. Anyway, please get us to three hundred! That'll be amazing! Thanks!**


	20. Chapter 19: Reconnections

**A/N: And here we are at the moment of truth. You guys have requested tales of Naruto's time – there's one herein. And the next chapter… well, get to the end of this one, and you'll see. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 19: Reconnections_

* * *

Aburame Shino leaned idly against a tree. Kiba was mirroring him on the opposite side of the trunk. The two of them were watching a sparring match between Hinata and Kurenai-sensei. It was an exercise their team had always done often. It was practice in observation and lightning predictions, Kurenai had told them. It allowed all three of them to exercise their skill at observing and understanding combat the better to predict their opponent's movements, which was an essential skill in a sensory-type reconnaissance team such as theirs.

Shino was watching them, but his mind was elsewhere. Shikamaru had had little contact with him over the past few days. Shino wondered how his plans were coming. He hoped he would be of use again soon. He had little anticipated, when he and Shikamaru had returned to their Genin days, just how mind-numbingly bored he'd get during the periods of inactivity. There was little to do; unlike the many troubles he was sure Naruto was facing in his attempts at early team renovation, Team Eight always had been, really, quite functional. The most functional team of its year, at any rate.

At that moment, Konohamaru – Shino remembered him well; the boy had been a member of a Chuunin squad Shino himself had headed in the Fourth War. The mission had been a glowing success and had been a major part in the young man's promotion to Jounin – ran past in a panic. In a moment, Sakura ran past after him, eyes blazing in fury.

Shino looked after them for a moment. From across the tree, Kiba muttered, "What was that about?"

Shino shrugged, though he knew the Inuzuka couldn't see him.

Maybe saying that his team was the most sane out of these particular three was not quite a glowing recommendation.

"Shino!" Kurenai called. She and Hinata had finished, the girl breathing heavily. "You're up!"

Shino pushed himself from the tree. "Taijutsu only?" he asked.

"No," said Kurenai, smirking. "You couldn't hold your own in Taijutsu if you tried. Ninjutsu and Genjutsu only."

Shino shrugged and raised his arms as insects began to pour forth from his sleeves. His hives were not as large as they had been for him before, but they were large enough. And fortunately, his Chakra had not diminished. In the end, this meant that though he had fewer insects than most, his were among the strongest of all Chakra Insects in the service of any Ninja anywhere. Kurenai had noticed the sudden spike in skill, much as he'd tried to hide it, but she still suspected nothing.

What was there to suspect, after all? She wasn't a Nara.

She was, however, a Jounin, and her skill showed in the speed of her Hand Seals. In an instant, she had vanished.

He sighed. Genjutsu might be a powerful and valid style, but it was irksome that Kurenai always stuck to the relatively weaker ones, even with him. Though admittedly, perhaps she wouldn't if he didn't give a show of struggling.

If only he could stop with the farce and show himself in his fullest strength! But his ANBU commander had disallowed such rashness, and Shino knew better than to disobey Shikamaru on something like this.

He broke the Genjutsu by having a Chakra Insect bite him directly over a nerve in his neck, very near the brain. It stung like Kami's wrath, but the Genjutsu was quickly quelled. He exaggeratedly formed fists with both hands to show the pain he was feeling. Kurenai was still surprised by the speed at which the Genjutsu had been dispersed, of course, but after a few days with her it was conceivable that he could have picked up such talents, given his Sensei. Kurenai would likely assume that he was just a fast learner.

Kurenai was already forming Hand Seals again, and Shino guessed that now it would be a Ninjutsu. Better to cut it off than to face it, he decided. He stretched out his arm and a swarm of some of his fastest insects flew forth and grasped her hands, holding them in place.

Her eyes widened as he began to form Hand Seals at a leisurely pace. What need after all, was there for concern? He might have done the same long ago and regretted it, but now his insects were some of the strongest in the clan. Few Ninja of anything but Taijutsu specialty could break out of their hold.

Then the sequence of Seals was done soon enough and he held the last – a Serpent. "Earth style," he murmured. "Barrier: Earth Dome Prison."

He stretched out his hands. Insects spewed from his sleeves, trying to get to Kurenai before the Jutsu was sealed. Many managed it as the dome spread over her, but not all; Shino winced as some were trapped in the enclosing rock.

_There,_ he thought. _That'll keep her sealed. _No one but a Nara would likely find the secret to the Sound-nin Jirobo's technique as Shikamaru had, and in the meantime it would be draining her chakra, and his insects would be doing the same, increasing the speed of the action.

He looked around. They were, unfortunately not in a good place for echoes. He quickly formed a couple walls of rock with another Earth-style jutsu and then called out to one, knowing the acoustics would throw Kurenai off, "Kurenai-sensei! My jutsu is one of the most powerful prisons in existence, to my knowledge. It will absorb your chakra constantly for as long as you're in it, as will my insects in there with you. I suggest you call your loss so that you can keep chakra for later in the day."

She had already battled Kiba, fortunately, so he needn't fear alienating the fiery Inuzuka. "Otherwise," he continued, "I will be forced to maintain the jutsu until your chakra runs low. I'd rather not hospitalize my Sensei."

And there was her voice, sounding rueful and perhaps a little proud. "Fine, Shino. I give in."

Shino nodded to himself. There was no pride in such a victory. Had she known just how powerful he was, he might have stood to have a very difficult fight – but she hadn't and still didn't. And an easy victory gained by being underestimated, while it might have given Shikamaru a feeling of success, gave no satisfaction to an Aburame.

He let the jutsu fall. His insects flew back to him as soon as there was a hole in the rock wall. Once it had fallen fully, he saw Kurenai seated in the center of the circle, looking rather… amused? Her lips were twitching into a smile as she watched him and her eyes were warm.

"Very good job, Shino," she said, taking in the rock walls that were even now lowering from around them. "Is the weakness directly opposite you?"

"Yes," he told her, hands going to his jacket pockets. "Chakra flows through the entire dome," that was why his dome had been so much smaller than Jirobo's – not because he didn't have enough Chakra, of course, but because he _shouldn't_, "and it slowly consumes the Chakra of the enclosed person or people. My insects sped up the process.

"A very useful jutsu," said Kurenai. "Where did you learn it?"

Shino shrugged. "A scroll." It was true; he had been studying jutsu in the ANBU's common room when he'd run across it. Remembering its brutal effectiveness against the Retrieval Team in their Genin days –well, Chuunin for Shikamaru – he had been quick to learn it. It was harder to do with less Chakra, making the dome smaller – it was easier to learn full-size. That was why it was reserved for ANBU and high-level Jounin of the Earth Nature. Which was exactly what he was. He might prefer using the Aburame Insect jutsu, but he was Earth-affinitive and could use those techniques when he needed to.

Jirobo, of course, wasn't Jounin level. He could only learn the justu because of his unusually high Chakra reserves.

Kurenai nodded. "Well, it's certainly useful. Keep it for when you need it."

Shino started to nod and then, his Ninja's sixth-sense which had kept him alive many times going haywire, he spun to face the Ninja who had just leapt onto the tree Hinata and Kiba were next to.

It was Naruto. And in an instant he was joined by Sasuke.

Shino's fist clenched involuntarily for an instant before he let it loosen again. _The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry…_ he thought grimly. So Shikamaru had finally slipped, it seemed; and now not only were they twice as likely to be revealed to the general Ninja public, or at least to the Konoha council, but they were also strategically crippled. Shikamaru was right – of course Naruto would insist on collaborating. He was Naruto.

The duo leapt down from the tree and stood before him. Even from where he stood, Shino could hear Hinata's sharp intake of breath at Naruto's sudden appearance. He was sure any of Sasuke's fangirls would have reacted the same to their crush. Or perhaps worse.

"Naruto," said Shino cordially. "It's been a while since we last spoke."

Naruto snorted. "You have no idea," he said. "Or, actually, you do."

"Come on, Aburame," Sasuke said quietly. "Nara Shikamaru wants a word with us."

Shino studied the Uchiha for a moment. Naruto trusted him, that he knew; and he, of course, trusted his Hokage. But he would be lying if he said he was fully confident of Sasuke's loyalty. "Does he know it yet?" he asked.

"No," said Sasuke flatly. "But when he does, he will agree that he wants to talk to us."

"Ah," said Shino. "Now?"

"Now," grunted the Uchiha, leaping back into the tree.

Shino nodded and followed. He turned to look at his young Hokage.

Naruto had frozen, facing toward them; but he was looking at Hinata. "Hi, Hinata-chan," he said, and Shino knew he was having trouble keeping his voice at its normal levels. "Hey, Kiba. Sorry to swipe your teammate. He'll be back soon."

"He'd better," Kurenai grunted. "He's still got training to do."

Naruto turned to her, nodded wordlessly, and leapt up the tree to the other two. And they were off to the Nara area of the Village.

* * *

Shikamaru was back to playing Shogi with his dad. Shikaku was questioning him on his motives as they gamed, and Shikamaru was content to answer what he was willing to.

"Are you certain Kakashi won't tell them about you?" Shikaku was asking. Shikamaru had told him about the other two time-travelers and his conversation with their Sensei once it was clear the man had worked out Naruto.

"Fairly certain, yes," said the young Nara with a shrug. "Naruto wouldn't figure the oddity of him knowing so much if I know the kid at all. And he won't reveal it if he has other options."

"Yes, but there's the Uchiha," said Shikaku. "He's observant, isn't he?"

"In battle, maybe," grunted Shikamaru. "But out of it he's just a self-absorbed prick, unless he's changed a lot more drastically than I could have predicted."

"I guess I have then," said the voice of Uchiha Sasuke from the window.

Shikamaru turned with perfect poise to face the glass square. Sasuke, Naruto, and Shino all stood side by side watching them.

Shikaku grinned at him. "You lose, son."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "What a drag." He stood up and opened the glass door. The trio filed in.

"Shikaku-san," said Shino with a deferential bow to Shikamaru's father. Then he turned to Shikamaru. "Not my fault," he said flatly. "They just came at me."

"You two should be with Kakashi," Shikamaru told Naruto and Sasuke. "Why aren't you training or doing missions?"

"We made Kakashi give Sakura a private lesson while we took care of a little business," Sasuke grunted.

"Why didn't you tell me you were back, guys?" Naruto asked loudly. "We should be working together!"

"No," said Shikamaru flatly. "We can cover more ground as separate cells. That's why we didn't tell you – we knew you'd insist on combining forces."

"It makes sense," Sasuke said. "But-"

"Wait," said Shikamaru. He turned to his father. "Dad, mind leaving us alone for a bit? We need to catch up. Listen at the door if you want."

"Fine," shrugged Shikaku. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Shikamaru shut the glass door. Sit down, all of you," he said. The four of them sat around the Shogi table.

"Naruto should know better than to go against your judgment, Shikamaru," Sasuke continued, as though there had been no interruption. "Don't you, Naruto?"

"Of course!" said Naruto outraged. "I'd have been assassinated by the Hyuuga long ago if it hadn't been for Shikamaru's help!"

Sasuke cocked his head. "What do the Hyuuga have to do with anything?"

"Well," Shikamaru explained. "When Naruto got the office of Hokage, he was all for starting his career by just walking up to the Hyuuga compound and yelling, 'Hey guys, as your Hokage, I officially forbid you to put the Branch House Curse Seal on anyone! Also, be nicer to people like Hinata.'"

Sasuke winced. "Seems like Naruto."

"Precisely," nodded Shino. "And it'd have gotten him killed."

"I told him that," Shikamaru continued, "And Shino and I came up with a plan. Naruto couldn't abolish the Hyuuga traditions alone or with brute force. He needed the support of the entire village. He needed to make it easier for the Hyuuga to give in than to keep fighting."

Sasuke nodded slowly, eyes narrowed. "Political warfare."

Shikamaru grinned. "A more exciting battle I have not known," he said. "I gave him his rhetoric and he used it to turn all of the clans to his side. Half of the Hyuuga were with him too. In the end, if was the village against a few old Hyuuga elders – and they knew better than to fight the masses."

"Mob mentality is a dangerous weapon," murmured Shino softly.

Sasuke chuckled. "You're right, Naruto; he did save you from assassination."

"I know!" Naruto laughed. "I couldn't be political to save my life. But how did you and Shino find out about the Ritual and get back here, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru stretched. "Long story," he said. "First, I should tell you; we also didn't want you two to know about us because it made it twice as likely that our presence here would get out. Can't afford that."

Sasuke nodded. "Makes sense. But I should tell you, even so – Gaara came back with me."

Shikamaru blinked in real surprise, an unusual emotion on his face. "The Godaime Kazekage?"

Sasuke nodded gravely. "He was the one who convinced me to come back at all. He told me that the Ichibi knew the jutsu. In exchange I took him with."

Shikamaru leaned back, mind whirring. "Interesting," he murmured. "How will it go with Suna, I wonder? This will give us some very interesting Chuunin Exams. Will Gaara prevent Suna's allying with Oto, or will he allow it so he can get rid of Orochimaru early, do you think?"

Sasuke shrugged. "He won't know my motives. For all he knows, I might be willing to ally with Orochimaru. Does that help?"

Shikamaru nodded slowly, closing his eyes and taking his meditative position. "It might. It all depends on how strong he thinks he is. If he feels strong enough to take out Orochimaru at this time, and to avoid you, he'll allow the alliance."

"He's strong enough," said Sasuke flatly. "His Chakra at our time was incredible; and now he's a Jinchuuriki, too."

"So we can guess he'll lure Orochimaru in," said Shikamaru, a vicious smirk spreading across his face. "Good!"

"But how did you get back?" Naruto pressed. "You two were captured by the Akatsuki!"

Shikamaru nodded. "All right. Get comfortable, 'cause this could take a while."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked that. And next chapter, you'll hear about Shino and Shikamaru's escape from the clutches of the Akatsuki. I don't even know how it'll go yet, but it promises to be a lot of fun.**

**Please review! Thanks for the 300 last chapter! See you next week!**


	21. Chapter 20: Capture

**A/N: That was close. I almost didn't get this up in time.****Coming up with Shikamaru-plots is harder than I expected. But I managed it.**

**You don't actually find out what he did this chapter. I split his bit into two chapters. Next one will be the escape.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 20: Capture_

* * *

Shikamaru's eyes opened slowly. His teeth gritted involuntarily against the throbbing pain in his skull.

"Damn," he muttered. "My head…"

The Akatsuki had found him on a covert mission, he now remembered. Kisame had hiven the back of his skull a taste of his sword-hilt and he'd been out like a light. This was the aftermath.

He sat up, ignoring the agony. He was in a small room of concrete or gray stone. It was completely unfurnished save for a single raised platform of rock on which blankets had been laid.

_My bed, _he thought dully. Looking around, he whispered to himself, "My prison…"

He hoped Naruto would be able to manage.

For the moment, he satisfied himself with contemplating the nature of his prison. There were no windows – unsurprising. For a Ninja prison, windows were an escape waiting to happen. The door consisted of bars of a strange silvery metal which was almost certainly Chakra-absorbent. And he couldn't feel his Chakra. The prison, it seemed, was capable of consuming Chakra, rather like Shino's Earth-style barrier jutsu.

Or perhaps it only nullified Chakra – Shikamaru felt no Chakra at all, but if he was totally dry, he'd be dead. A Ninja's Chakra Coils intertwined so completely with his various organ systems and blood vessels that if it were empty he would be dead in minutes. Chakra Exhaustion was both partial and reversible. Chakra Void was neither.

Kami, his head hurt.

He lay down in his bed, his head resting on the blissfully soft pillows. The bed might be stone, but it didn't matter – the blankets and pillows were warm and soft. He made a mental note to return the favor to the Akatuski if they were ever caught.

And then he slept.

* * *

When he next awoke, he was not alone.

"The boy won't go along with it, Madara-san," Zetsu was saying. "No matter what he says, it makes a difference who it is. He does care, unfortunately for us."

"I am aware of that," grunted Madara's low voice. "But you underestimate his pride. He has said that the Namikaze means nothing to him. To go back on that would be to admit his wrong – and that he cannot do. And so he will assist us, whether he likes it."

"I think you overestimate your Clan's pride, Madara-san," said Zetsu softly. "He's getting tired of this – you can see it in his eyes. We have perhaps two years at the most before he sees it himself. And something like this will halve that."

There was silence. "It is a valid point," said Madara softly. "But you overestimate something as well. Sasuke is meaningless. Certainly, I would rather he survive and that an Uchiha channel the demon, but that is merely a simple satisfaction. What is important is that we have strength. And Contingency Kitsune's strength will be far greater than that of Uchiha Sasuke."

"And you are willing to forego your clan for that?"

Madara laughed. "For a time. The Sharingan is derived from the Juubi – once we call it down, I will be able to copy the gene and recreate the Uchiha in any case. It makes little difference."

"Very well," said Zetsu. "I only ask that if it comes to it, you kill Sasuke before he kills one of us."

Shikamaru watched his door intently as Zetsu's black skin and yellow eyes walked past it. There was a short pause.

"I imagine you heard all that, Nara," murmured Madara.

"Of course," muttered Shikamaru. "Care to tell me what Contingency Kitsune is?"

"Contingency _Plan_ Kitsune," Madara corrected. "Contingency Kitsune doesn't exist yet – it will be the result."

"Fine. Contingency Plan Kitsune, then?" Shikamaru asked dully.

"No," Madara said flatly. "I don't do monologues. They cause problems."

"Damn," muttered the Nara. After a moment, he said, "I hear you're having a bit of trouble with Sasuke."

"Not at all," Madara chuckled. "But Zetsu is quite correct – while Sasuke has caused no stir yet, there is the potential there."

"Why?"

"I don't do monologues."

"Damn!" Shikamaru exploded – if that was the right word for such an isolated, quiet exclamation.

Madara was chuckling. "Now I understand why Sasuke loves his monologues so. It _is _amusing to wind you Leaf-nin up."

Shikamaru tucked himself in – he hadn't slept long enough and was still tired. "If you say so, bastard."

Madara didn't answer, and Shikamaru found himself falling asleep again.

* * *

The next time he awoke, things were silent. There was no noise or movement about him.

He was slightly hungry, but he felt sure he'd get food soon enough. The Akatsuki wanted him alive – probably so they could gloat if and when they won.

In the meantime, he tried to devise an escape. If one existed – and it did; it was impossible to protect from all possibilities – he would find it. He was, after all, Nara Shikamaru.

And so he began to think.

After about an hour, he heard footsteps coming down the hallway towards him. He opened his eyes and waited.

No force on Earth could have prepared him for whent came into his field of view. A young woman was walking past his cell door – a young woman with sharp, angular features, blond hair tied into four frizzy pigtails, and a fan slung on her back.

It was Temari.

And she was carrying the jacket-clad Aburame Shino under her arm.

He stared at her until she crossed out of his field of view. After a moment, he heard a metal door opening and the sound of a body being thrown onto a stone floor. Temari walked past again, now without Shino – but this time Shikamaru noticed something.

Her eyes were without pupils.

It took him only an instant to realize what was happening, and as soon as he did, his heart ached. She'd been caught in some kind of enthrallment jutsu. She was enslaved be the Akatsuki.

He closed his eyes, looking down, trying to achieve his customary mastery over his emotions. Enthrallment jutsu were almost always irreversible except by the death of the caster, he knew.

_Then I'll raze Akatsuki to the ground and kill the caster, _he determined. There was no loud determination in the thought like Naruto would have had with a statement of that kind. There was only a quiet conviction; a firmness born only of certainty. _But first, _he decided, _I have got to get out of here._

He took stock of his situation. Shino was here now – that changed matters. Shikamaru considered. They had very different talents… perhaps, together, they could succeed where one might fail.

When Temari came again half an hour later he was still in a meditative position, having still not fully built up his plans. He had several shapeless ideas, however. He looked up when he heard a scraping sound.

The enslaved girl was pushing a wooden tray into the room under the door. It bore a bowl of stew, a glass of water, and a small bed of lettuce.

He inhaled slightly. It smelled delicious. Odd – he'd been expecting minimal accommodations. Instead he received a meal that, while small, looked to be as easy on the tongue as any of the meals he'd ever had on missions.

"Madara-sama tells me to inform you," Temari broke into his thoughts, and tears almost came to his eyes at the toneless quality of her voice – the fire in it was gone. "The food is not poisoned in any way. The Akatsuki is experimenting with various cell conditions to see which serves their purposes best. Every prisoner is in different conditions."

Shikamaru almost laughed. If he and Madara weren't bitter enemies, he felt he might have enjoyed an intellectual chat with the man. As it was…

"Would you ask him who it was who enthralled you?" he asked Temari. "I would like to know."

"I was instructed to relay your questions," Temari said flatly. "Expect a reply at Madara-sama's convenience."

Shikamaru nodded gracefully, carefully keeping his face composed. "Thank you, Temari."

For a moment, an almost confused expression flitted across the thrall's face. Then she seemed to dismiss it and walked away.

Shikamaru brought the tray away from the door and knelt beside it. There were even chopsticks – and not the throwaway ones one was given at restaurants. These were proper chopsticks – cylinders of wood, carved with the likenesses of dragons, phoenixes, and everything in between – with tips of brass at the end where they were meant to be held.

He only wasted a moment admiring them before proceeding to eat. He honestly believed Temari – he was already depleted of Chakra, and the Akatsuki clearly wanted him alive, so what could they do through a meal?

He refused to let his mind go through the many possibilities. They might be numerous, but not one of them had any significant probability of occurring.

No, not even all of them put together.

When he was finished eating, he set himself back down into a meditative position. It would take time to come up with a plan, he knew.

But given the circumstances, he had little shortage of time.

* * *

Shino awoke about two hours later – though Shikamaru by this time had completely lost track of time. Shikamaru called his name as soon as he head his fellow ANBU agent groaning. "Shino?"

"Hawk-senpai…" he heard Shino mutter weakly. "So you're here too?"

"Yes," said Shikamaru. "Unfortunately."

Shino groaned. "Did I headbutt Sakura's fist recently?"

Shikamaru chuckled. "My head hurt when I first came in too. I think they've taken to doing that to us. Kami knows why."

"They want prisoners," Shino grunted. "Shikamaru, listen. Temari-san and Kankuro-san…"

"I know," said Shikamaru quietly. "Temari, at least, is under a jutsu. She's their slave now."

"Damn," said Shino, just barely loud enough for Shikamaru to hear.

"My thoughts exactly," agreed the Nara.

They sat in silence for a time, and then, at long last, Shikamaru's first plan was finished. It seemed likely to him that it would be the only one he needed.

"Shino," he said. "Remember bugs?"

Shino didn't answer. He wasn't meant to. 'Remember bugs' was a code Shikamaru had set up for a contingency like this. If he needed to talk to Shino quickly and quietly, Shino would send an insect and it would relay the plan.

After about a minute the Chakra Insect crawled into Shikamaru's cell and on to his waiting finger. And so he whispered his plan into it.

When he'd finished, he sent in on its way back to Shino. After a moment, he heard a soft grunt of assent from the neighboring cell. Shino had received and understood the plan.

Now all Shikamaru had to do was wait for Shino to finish his part.

* * *

A few more hours had passed before anything changed to break the monotony.

"You wanted to ask me something?" Madara said, stepping into Shikamaru's doorway.

Shikamaru frowned. The man was silent – very bad sign. "I asked Temari. You should know."

"An unfortunate oversight," said Madara. "I told her to tell me _if_ you had questions, not what they were. So I have no idea what you asked."

"Who enthralled her?" Shikamaru asked flatly.

Madara chuckled. "I did," he said. "And her brother Kankuro, too. But you see, you can't free them by killing me."

"Why not?" Shikamaru growled.

Madara actually threw his head back and laughed. "I would never have expected such ferocity from you, Nara-san. But you see, if death is what breaks the bond between thrall and master, then I am secure in my ownership." Madara looked down and Shikamaru glared into the holes in his mask. "I am Madara Uchiha. I am already dead."

Shikamaru blinked. "What?"

Madara chuckled again. "Oh, no. You've heard too much as it is."

"That's why the Reanimation Jutsu worked on you!" Shikamaru said with a strange horror dawning. "You're not alive!"

"No," Madara agreed. "I am not."

"But then what are you?" Shikamaru asked in bewilderment. "How are you standing here?"

Madara shook his head at him. "No, Nara. You know now as much as you ever will. The girl is mine. And that is irrevocable. You cannot change it."

And he was gone. But his last words had reminded him of something he'd somehow managed to forget.

"_Son,_" he remembered his father saying on the day he was named an ANBU agent, "_There's a jutsu our family keeps. It's time you learned it – and it's looking more and more like you'll be the only one to use it every day. Good luck, Shikamaru, and keep it safe._"

The Ritual of the Five Sacred Stars. Passed down by the Nara for generations. The one thing Madara could not predict which could save Temari.

Shikamaru smiled slightly. It was the year 271 of the Shinobi Era. It had been three hundred years since the jutsu had last been performed.

It was time it was performed again.

* * *

**A/N: There you are! The first half of Shikamaru and Shino's last little while in the past. The next one will be up next week. Please review!**


	22. Chapter 21: Escape

**A/N: Okay, so I only recently heard about that last manga reveal. As many of you probably guessed based on Madara/Tobi/NO SPOILERS FOR YOU!'s dialogue, I'm disregarding it for WBoat. Sorry if that disappoints you.**

**Regardless, here's your chapter.**

* * *

_Chapter 21: Escape_

* * *

Shino sat cross-legged in the center off his cell, his eyes closed. He found often that it was easier to work with his insects that way – though he didn't have that luxury in battle, of course.

He was spread much thinner than he liked now. His stores of Chakra were minimal because of the jutsu on the cell around him, and his body rejected the idea of spreading what little he had into his insects. But this was Shikamaru, and his plans were the best.

So Shino now had all of the hives inside his body working at overdrive to spawn the insects he had lost in his recent fights and those which he still had were even now assembling, ready to act.

He guessed it would be about two hours before all was made ready. Always assuming Chakra exhaustion didn't get him in the middle.

* * *

Shikamaru waited, thinking. Now that his plan was being made ready, he had started to think of all of the potential flaws he hadn't yet considered. And so now it was time to ensure that the most obvious one would cause no problems.

So he waited.

At length he heard someone passing by his cell. He reached forward and gripped the bars, stretching one hand out through a slot. "Please," he said, making his voice more pitiful than it ever had been before. "Please, let me go. I can't stand this anymore."

It was Suigetsu, and he was unimpressed. "Nara Shikamaru," he said. "Not going to work, I'm afraid. We all know you too well."

Shikamaru shrugged, drawing back from the cell door. "It wouldn't have worked for anyone, I expect."

"Most likely," Suigetsu agreed.

"Worth a shot, though," Shikamaru said.

"Perhaps," Suigetsu nodded. "Not always, though; if our Kazekage guest tries something like that, for instance, he'll be lucky to survive."

Shikamaru blinked. "You've captured Gaara-sama?"

"Oh, yes," Suigetsu chuckled. "Just a few minutes ago. A very important night, this is."

Shikamaru squinted at him. "What did you do?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to worry you," the former Mist-nin chuckled. "Good night, Nara-san."

As he walked past the cell, Shikamaru grinned privately. In spite of all of that, he'd known from the moment he reached through the bars what he'd wanted to.

Things could travel through the bars of the cell doors.

* * *

Shino smirked suddenly in the darkness. It was ready. Quietly he sent his insects out of his cell.

They crept out under the bars and began to clamber on top of one another. Their colors shifted and they smoothed out. In a moment a perfect replica of Shino stood outside the cell.

It walked out of Shino's line of sight, going, no doubt, to free Shikamaru. Shino was content to wait.

There was silence for approximately two minutes while the Insect Clone picked the lock, and then a barely-audible click was heard. Shikamaru was free.

The Insect Clone came back into Shino's line of sight and began to pick the lock on his cell door while Shikamaru watched both sides of the corridor, scanning for approaching foes.

None came, and soon Shino was out of his cell, sighing in relief as he felt his Chakra return and allowed his insects to disperse back into him.

"All right," he said after a moment's rest. "What's next?"

Shikamaru looked about. "Be ready for a fight," he grunted. "There's no way out but through."

Shino's eyes widened behind his shaded glasses. "_That's_ your plan?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "We're out of our cells. That's good, at least."

Shino shook his head slowly. "We're dead."

"I don't think so," said his ANBU captain. "Follow me and for Kami's sake, be quiet."

Shino didn't need to be told – he was an ANBU agent, after all. They crept silently along corridor after corridor. At every fork, Shikamaru listened intently for a moment – for what Shino didn't know – and then seemingly chose a course at random.

At long last they heard voices at one such fork. Shikamaru immediately turned toward them.

"Why?" Shino almost asked, but he held his tongue. They could not afford to be caught.

Shikamaru held up a fist ahead of him – the order to stop. Shino froze. The voices were speaking quietly, but they were clearly right around the corner.

And then Shikamaru vanished. _A Chameleon Jutsu,_ Shino thought. _He's going to scout it out._

And so he was.

* * *

Shikamaru stepped, quietly and invisibly, around the bend. There was a room before him, dimly lit. There were a couple Ninja watching the path opposite him – _The way to the entrance,_ he thought, _or rather, the exit,_ - and there ware others guarding something on a table in the corner.

He crept up the wall and looked from the ceiling down at whatever it was. The table was made of mahogany, and a silken red cloth lay over it, as though the object was on display.

And it deserved it. Upon the table, laid out in full shape, was the most masterfully crafted suit of modern armor Shikamaru had ever seen. There were blue lenses where a man's eyes would go. The silvery-steel of the suit glistened in the light of the candles beside it. The arms contained an array of Weapon-Sealing scrolls, and Shikamaru was certain they were already filled. The gauntlets were each masterpieces of razor-sharp metal, and it was certain that if the man wearing this armor punched someone, their face would look like ground meat. The boots ended in slightly hooked points. All of the major muscle areas were filled ourt already, as though there were mechanical assistances to the muscles that would one day be there. The strength of any man would be doubled in that.

And Shikamaru's eyes caught the small, red emblem of the Nile-Tailed Fox emblazoned on the left pectoral of the armor.

_Contingency Plan Kitsune, _he thought in awe. But there was no time to think on it now.

He fell back to Shino. "We're on the right track," he whispered into his companion's ear. "Chameleon and follow."

They both took on the Chameleon Jutsu and crept through the room. Shino, Shikamaru knew, would be watching for the slight distortion ahead of him. Shikamaru only had to lead them well.

He did. Soon they were out of sight of the guards. Shikamaru allowed the jutsu to fade in relief. "Good," he murmured. "Let's go."

Now he had to keep listening constantly. There would be guards more and more as they approached the exit.

He was right. The guards got more and more common, and it got harder and harder to avoid them. But in the end, they weren't caught until they could finally see the exit.

Shikamaru almost sighed in relief. There was only a stone door in their path now. That and about ten Nin.

He and Shino crept along the walls, trying to avoid confrontation, but after a moment, there was a shout, and Shikamaru knew they'd been caught.

He immediately began a Shadow Possession, holding all of the Ninja in place. His Chameleon justu faded. "Get that door, Shino!" he said fiercely. One of the Ninja was clearly much stronger than the average peon. He was giving Shikamaru quite a fight.

Shikamaru shook his head._ Fool, _he thought. He mimed taking a kunai out of his imaginary holster and stabbed himself in the chest with it.

That man didn't die, but most of the others did. This meant that, with fewer targets, Shikamaru could switch to a Shadow Strangle Jutsu.

He did. The rest of them fell.

And then the door was open and Shino was calling, "Run, Hawk!"

And Shikamaru did, running as fast as his legs could carry him, Shino right beside him, for coming up behind was Zetsu.

* * *

They had managed to escape. It was now several hours later. Shino leaned against the wall of the cave they'd found. Shikamaru was beside him in the same position. "So," said Shino after they rested for a time. "What's your plan?"

Shikamaru chuckled weakly. "I'll tell you later. Too tired now. Let's get some defenses set up and then we'll catch some sleep."

Shino nodded, standing. He made his way to the mouth of the cave and proceeded to lay several traps both just inside ond around the cave entrance. Shikamaru was setting down a barrier jutsu behind him.

Once they were finished they leaned back against the walls again, and Shino allowed exhaustion to claim him.

* * *

Shikamaru rose early. This was partly because he wanted to get up before his stiffness froze him in place – rock did not make a good bed. But he was also very much worried. With him captured and escaped, it made sense for Madara to try to destroy the Leaf Village while he wasn't there to warn them. So it fell to Shikamaru to try to find out what was going on.

But first he had to wait about half an hour for Shino to awaken. In that time, his slight worry had easily evolved into fully-fledged fear. He was unable to avoid infecting his companion with it.

"Do you think the Village will be all right?" Shino asked him as they took down their traps, preparing to move.

Shikamaru shook his head. "I don't know, old friend," he muttered. "I don't know."

Once they were ready to leave, they made a beeline for the nearest village. It seemed quite empty at first, until they realized that every adult was congregated at the tavern. And Shikamaru had a good guess as to why.

He was quite right, in the end.

Shikamaru stepped into the crowded room. "Get us a spot," he told Shino, who nodded and made a mad dash to the nearest vacant place – a cramped corner, still better than what Shikamaru had expected to find. The entire town seemed gathered here, and Shikamaru wanted to know why.

He and Shino had removed their forehead protectors and intended to gather information by mingling. The first step, of course, was to get drinks.

The Nara forced his way through the masses to the bar. "A bottle of sake and two glasses, please," he told the barman. "Konoha-brewed."

The barman looked unhappy. "I wasn't intending to sell any Konoha sake," he said. "I was going to keep it 'til the prices rise."

Shikamaru frowned outwardly in confusion, but inwardly he felt sick. He knew the laws of supply and demand better than most Ninja. "Why would the prices rise?"

"Haven't you heard?" the barman asked in surprise. "Konoha fell. Last night. The Uchiha traitor destroyed it, apparently."

Shikamaru only allowed himself a moment's glance downward in horror before he looked back up at the barman. "Suna-brewed then," he grunted. "And make it two bottles. I could use the alcohol."

The barman looked at him sympathetically before passing him the bottles and glasses from under the bar. "Had a girl in Konoha or something?"

"Close enough," the now-former ANBU captain grunted before making for Shino.

* * *

They'd left the village behind them a few minutes ago. And now Shino wanted to know what their plan was now, with no Village to protect.

"What do we do now, Shikamaru?" he asked, not even bothering with the codename. "We can try to find Naruto-san. He'll probably have survived. Kurama's quite difficult to kill.

Shikamaru shook his head. "No," he said. "We'll go through with my old plan. All that this means is that the stakes are higher."

"And what is your plan?" Shino asked him.

Shikamaru would have grinned if there was an ounce of feeling left in his heart. The cold numbness would fade, he knew, once he got to the past, but for now he felt as though he himself had died in the battle the previous night. "There's a jutsu," he said slowly. "It's been protected by my clan for almost three centuries. It's a ritual. It will only be performable once in our lifetimes – this May."

"Next month," Shino acknowledged.

"Precisely," Shikamaru nodded. "We'll use it, and when we wake up, it'll still be May… five years ago."

Shino froze. "A second chance…" he whispered.

"We can prevent it all," said Shikamaru. "But we've got to get to work. There are a lot of reagents to gather."

A little over a month later, they had the ingredients. The symbols were ready.

All that was left was to wait.

They sat together in silence. What was there to say left? They'd been through hell, and now they were coming back from it together. They knew how monumental this was. And so they merely enjoyed the companionship in perfect quiet.

The sun set. The moon rose. And six stars twinkled out, shining out like the rays of salvation. Five formed a pentagon around the sixth.

They looked at one another, nodded, and as one, drove the spikes into their own chests.

And so Nara Shikamaru and Aburame Shino joined their Hokage as Genin.

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you are. Lots of foreshadowing there. Not my best chapter – far too condensed for my tastes – but I want to get back to the past. So there you are. Please review!**


	23. Chapter 22: Retelling

**A/N: Here you are. This is officially the second-to-last chapter of the introductory arc, if all goes to plan. After that, it's off to Wave. I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

_Chapter 22: Retelling_

* * *

"And the rest is history," Shikamaru finished, leaning back against the wall. "We found out that you were back here and started watching what you were doing. Then Kakashi worked it out and spilled the beans."

Naruto nodded, grinning. "I'm glad to have you, Shikamaru. I swear I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably have wound up lying in a ditch a long time ago," the Nara chuckled lazily. "But enough of that." He leaned forward away from the wall, looking intently at Naruto and Sasuke in turn. "We need to get to business. Have either of you got any idea what that armor I saw was?"

Naruto cocked his head in confusion. "What does it matter?" he asked. "It doesn't exist now."

"Ideas are weapons, Naruto," Shino said. "You should know that, with Shikamaru as your ANBU Commander. If we know what that was supposed to be, it's an advantage over Madara now. It might give us an idea of how he thinks, or it might give us an idea of how to use it ourselves, or how to prevent it if the idea comes to him again."

"So?" Shikamaru asked again. "Any ideas?"

Naruto shook his head blankly. Sasuke tried to, but there was an odd look in his averted eyes.

Shikamaru just looked at him. "You're on thin ice as it is in my book, Uchiha," he said flatly. "Spill."

Sasuke grunted. "It was one of Madara's plots. The armor does three things, for the most part. It augments the wearer's physical capabilities, gives them Chakra and jutsu similar to that of the Nine-Tails, and enslaves them to Madara. Anyone in that armor would be dangerous beyond belief."

Shikamaru cocked a brow. "It was unfinished?"

"No," said Sasuke, shaking his head. "There was one particular person Madara wanted in that armor – that's why it was unoccupied."

"Who might that-" Shino began, but Shikamaru cut him off.

"I'm only going to ask this once," the Nara growled, his rage at the insult slowly building. "How much did you have to do with making that armor?"

Sasuke just looked at him bleakly. "Too much," he murmured.

Shikamaru glared at him for an instant more and then he sighed and looked away. "I won't give you trouble over it," he muttered. "You're doing fine at that as it is."

Shino looked over at him, but Shikamaru met his gaze. _Later,_ he said silently. _Naruto can't hear this._ Aloud he said, "Well, anything else we need to know? Plans and the like?"

Naruto looked at him. "No changing the subject," he growled. "What was that about Shikamaru? What's so bad about that armor?"

"It would have been a superweapon," Shikamaru lied simply. "Sasuke's involvement shows just how loyal he was to Madara's cause." That part was even truer than Naruto knew, but Shikamaru wasn't going to burst his Hokage's bubble over this. It was all in the future now.

Naruto nodded. "Oh, of course. But Sasuke's on our side now. You know that, right?"

Shikamaru looked at Sasuke, and the Uchiha met his eyes. And in an instant, Shikamaru saw none of the coldness and hatred that Sasuke's eyes had help for the past five years. Instead he saw a horrible, crushing sense of guilt. "Yes," he finally said, looking back at the blond. "I know."

"But have you got any plans?" Shino pressed, bring them back to the original topic. "Anything we need to know about?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not really. We want Danzo dead as soon as possible, but we're not going for that one without proof."

Shikamaru nodded, thinking. "Any ideas as to what we can use for that proof?"

"The Sharingan," Sasuke said quietly.

They all looked at him. "Danzo stole Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo," he muttered. "Itachi knows about it. If we could just get him to testify, a Yamanaka could prove it."

Shikamaru leaned back, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Perfect," he murmured. "Then our priority is retrieving your brother. And I have an idea of how to go about that."

Naruto leaned forward. "How?"

Shikamaru smirked at him. "By being patient, Hokage-sama."

"What good will that do?" Naruto asked, bewildered. "It didn't work last time!"

"Oh, we'll do something," Shikamaru chuckled. "But not right now. There are things to wait for."

"Now listen, Naruto," Shino said. "We have to work separately, do you understand? It's why we hid from you. We can cover more ground like this."

"Like I said, I trust Shikamaru," Naruto nodded. "So we'll work separate. Got it. But let me know if something good comes up, all right?"

"Done," agreed the Nara heir. "Now I think we're done planning. Get going, you two. Shino, get back to Kurenai. And," he added, looking at the wall-mounted clock to his right, "It's time for Team Asuma to meet, too. I'd best head for Chouji."

"Why do you guys meet at ten in the morning?" Naruto asked offhandedly as they trooped out.

Shikamaru chuckled. "Because Asuma and I are lazy, Chouji likes big breakfasts, and Ino needs the sleep, what with not eating any food. It was mutually advantageous."

Naruto stared at him, stopping in his tracks. "That's ridiculous."

"We work later, Naruto, don't worry," Shikamaru chuckled.

"Good," the blond growled. "I don't want you going soft."

And then they were outside. Shikamaru turned to his father, who had followed them from the door where he had been listening. "Sorry we can't finish our game, Dad."

Shikaku shrugged. "We'll play again tonight after dinner."

Shikamaru nodded. "You're on. See you, Dad."

He waved at his father and the rest of the Genin and then he was off, making for his meeting with Asuma.

* * *

Coming around a tree, Shino saw that Kurenai was facing Hinata again. He reclaimed his position leaning on the tree as quietly as he could, but unfortunately, Kiba's nose couldn't be fooled. "Shino, you're back," he said. "What was that all about? Why're you all closeted with Shikamaru these days?"

"Project," Shino said. "He's come up with ideas for a few jutsu ideal for an Aburame, and he wants me to help him out with them." This was the story they'd agreed on.

Kiba just grunted. "Then what was up with Naruto and Sasuke?"

"They're working with him too, on something similar," Shino said. "He's been reading a lot of scrolls on jutsu creation lately."

"If you say so," Kiba muttered doubtfully. Shino had already expected that; Gullible was one thing that Kiba was not. But without evidence, the Aburame doubted Kiba would act on mere suspicions for a while.

"Ah, Shino, you're back," Kurenai said. "Good. It's time we got started on today's missions."

Shino nodded. "D-Ranks?"

"D-Ranks, D-Ranks, and look!" Kiba mumbled. "_More_ D-Ranks."

Hinata stifled a giggle, and Kiba grinned at her. _Poor boy,_ Shino thought, considering the Inuzuka. _He doesn't stand a chance._ "As expected," he said aloud. "Let's go."

They made for the Hokage's tower then. Sarutobi greeted them upon entrance with a smile and a nod to Kurenai. "I assume you're here for your mission?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kurenai said respectfully. "What can we do?"

"Well, there are a couple D-Ranks to choose from," Sarutobi said, leaning back and shuffling papers on his desk before pulling out three D-Rank mission statements. "Let me see," he murmured, and then a wicked grin spread across his face. "We have a mission to retrieve a cat by the name of Tora…"

"No!" shouted Kiba in a panic. "Not Tora!" Hinata was mumbling agreement feebly – even Kurenai seemed to be nodding in grudging agreement. Shino, personally, didn't much care.

"Leave that to the sadistic Sensei," said Kurenai. "Like, oh, say Kakashi."

Sarutobi laughed. "Very well. I'm sure he will be most pleased." He looked down at the other two missions. "There are two more. A sewage line in the southwest quarter of the village has gotten backed up, and The library needs to be sorted."

"Library," said Kurenai immediately.

Sarutobi smiled. "Very well." He handed her the mission statement. "In that case, report to the library. The presiding librarian will give you further instructions."

"Very well," Kurenai nodded. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

And they filed out, making for the library.

* * *

"Why didn't we go to the sewers?" Kiba moaned. Shino rolled his eyes. "I mean," the Inuzuka muttered, "It might have smelled bad, but at least it would have been quick! And that has a point! Why does every book need to be sorted?"

"It's s-so people can f-find the books they're l-looking for, Kiba-kun," said Hinata timidly.

"I know that!" Kiba complained, picking up another book from the pile. "But couldn't we at least sort all of the books in one way, instead of sorting fun stuff by author and boring stuff by these weird numbers?"

"Fiction, non-fiction and Dewey Decimal call number," Shino grunted. "If you're going to whine, Kiba, at least get the terms correct."

"Well, fiction's fun, non-fiction isn't, and the Downer decimals are weird numbers," Kiba muttered, searching the aisles for a spot. "My point stands."

Kurenai laughed. "He's got you there, Shino."

"Professionalism, Sensei," Shino sighed, but even he couldn't remain perfectly stoic – he chuckled slightly as he picked up another book.

_Non-fiction, 378.292, _he thought, reading the label on the binding. _Of course it's on the other side of the building._

He made his way over to a particularly dusty aisle, located 378.291 and 378.293, and placed the book between them. Then he noticed the title of a nearby book. _The Lost Rituals: Gates of Time _was on the binding, and Shino could hazard quite a good guess as to what it contained.

For a moment, Shino was struck by a horrible fear at the realization that here was a lead anyone could find toward the truth, but it was overcome quickly by an uncontrollable urge to laugh. _It's in the library!_ he thought, just barely holding in his own mirth. _All this time, it was sitting in the library! You've got to be kidding me!_

The joke still hadn't lost its novelty when they finished the mission and headed for a restaurant to have dinner as a team. Of course, he'd have to report it to Shikamaru. The Nara would have a plan of how to prevent the information getting to the wrong hands.

But he had a feeling Shikamaru would laugh long and hard before he even started thinking up a plan.

* * *

Naruto painted the last few lines in his seal. It was an explosive this time – but this would have an electric discharge rather than the flaming inferno common in Explosive Tags. He'd have to see about getting it patented and mass produced. He leaned back in his chair for a moment, then stood and stretched. It was late. He and Sasuke had returned to Kakashi after their meeting with Shikamaru and Shino, trained for a short time, and then the team had gone into a ridiculous mission involving unclogging a sewer, of all things. Kakashi truly was a sadistic Sensei.

Naruto chuckled to himself as he changed into his nightclothes. He felt a strange sense of peace as he tucked himself in. Shikamaru and Shino were here. Sasuke was beside him. And he was certain Gaara was already working to make everything better on his end.

Kakashi was willing to help them. Sakura was already improving. Sasuke was relearning his morals.

And Hinata was alive.

A slow grin spread across his face. _Everything's going well, isn't it? _he thought to Kurama.

_Don't get complacent,_ the Kyuubi warned. _There are thousands of things that could go wrong at any moment._

_Don't be a downer,_ Naruto laughed. _How many of them are likely?_

Kurama didn't answer for a moment. _A lot more of them than you think, Kit. Madara is Madara, no matter how much you've changed._

_Maybe,_ Naruto thought. _But this time, we're ready for him._

_Are we, Naruto? _Kurama wondered openly. _Are we really?_

Naruto closed his eyes. _If we think we're not, we've already lost half the battle._

* * *

**A/N: And that's that. That's probably going to be the last of Naruto we see this arc. Next chapter will tie up the last few loose ends, and then I'll take a couple weeks off for revision. Then we'll head into the second arc – the Wave arc. I can't wait. Review please!**

**First Revision Notes:**

**These are two interesting points that have come to my attention that might warrant a little explanation. They're not particularly important, but one of them has been pointed out by a reviewer. Here they are.**

"Leave that to the sadistic Sensei," said Kurenai. "Like, oh, say Kakashi."

**-Sensei, here, is **_**plural**_**. The word Senseis doesn't exist. If Sensei is singular, the phrases don't fit together.**

_Non-fiction, 378.292, _he thought, reading the label on the binding. _Of course it's on the other side of the building._

**-Interestingly, a reviewer pointed out to me that this call number is for the MLA Handbook of Writing Style and asked me, politely, what the hell that had to do with the time-travel ritual. I don't know, really. I guess the Ninja just use different call numbers. **


	24. Chapter 23: Resolution

**A/N: This is it – the end of the Introductory Arc. I hope you like it.**

* * *

_Chapter 23: Resolution_

* * *

"Nara Shikamaru," said Hiruzen Sarutobi, inclining his head. "How may I be of service?"

Shikamaru sighed, massaging his temples. "There are two things you can do for me. First, and more importantly, you can let Hatake Kakashi know that I told you all this, and second, you can forget what I'm about to say after you've done so."

The Sandaime cocked his head. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"I don't expect you to actually forget this," Shikamaru continued as though the old man hadn't spoken, "but do me a favor and don't act on it without consulting me, please."

The Hokage leaned forward, and there was a look in his eyes that didn't speak to a mere Genin. "I don't take orders from my Ninja, Shikamaru," he said quietly. "Centralized power is essential. Otherwise we risk civil war."

Shikamaru laughed mirthlessly. "Oh, like I haven't heard that before. But you misunderstand me, Sandaime-san." He was sure he saw the man's eyes widen a fraction at the unusual honorific. "I don't presume to give you orders. But I'm the only one in the world, to my knowledge, who knows the full extent of our situation and can tactically analyze it. So I must request that you view my advice as valuable – for all our sakes."

Hiruzen leaned back. "Very well. What is it that you know which I don't?"

Shikamaru tossed him the book Shino had found, to all their shame, in the library. "That," he said flatly.

Hiruzen studied its exterior for a moment before looking back at him. "You've traveled through time," he murmured. "You've seen our future."

"No," Shikamaru corrected. "I've seen _a _future. You should hope to Kami I haven't seen ours."

"Not a nice place?" Hiruzen asked quietly.

Shikamaru snorted. "To say that is to call a supernova a barbecue. It was a nightmare."

"And so you come back to us now to make repairs." Sarutobi spoke softly – he was not in awe, but Shikamaru had not expected such from the Hokage. He was cool and analytical as any great leader of his kind had to be in the face of revelation, and Shikamaru felt a rush of sudden pride to be a Ninja of Konoha, where all of the best Kage ruled.

"Yes," said Shikamaru simply. "But not alone."

The Sandaime frowned. "You brought others?"

"Others came, whether I brought them or not," Shikamaru shrugged. "But you need to hear the story – the _whole_ story, to understand. So I'll start at the beginning. After we Genin were assigned our teams – the same teams as those we're in now, by the way, we were all put into the Chuunin Exams, set to be here about six months from now, right?"

Hiruzen nodded mutely.

"Good," Shikamaru nodded. "I was the only one promoted in those exams. Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Neji, and Uzumaki Naruto each came close. Unfortunately, the first was too unprofessional and emotionally compromised, the second too concerned with his own personal vendettas and not enough with the village and the third a little too much of an idiot; although frankly, I think the Kyuubi's reputation had a lot to do with it."

Hiruzen paled. "You know about the Fox?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Obviously, since I'm talking about him. Back on track… During the Exams, Suna and a new village, Oto, allied together and launched an attack on Konoha from within using the potential Chuunin. During the battle, you were killed by the Otokage, Orochimaru."

Hiruzen's eyes widened, but Shikamaru held up a hand. "If you didn't expect him to be back, then you're not worthy of that hat. Now listen. Naruto met Jiraiya during the exams and they sought out Tsunade, who consented to take the post of Godaime Hokage. During this period, Uchiha Itachi made an appearance wearing the red clouds of the Akatsuki organization, who have been even now reformed into a group of elite Nin with a specific goal. More on that later. He fought Sasuke, and won – emotionally compromising Sasuke in the process.

"That led to Sasuke defecting from the Village and joining Orochimaru to gain power. Naruto was from the on driven to bring him back. To that end, he left with Jiraiya for a multi-year training trip soon afterward."

Shikamaru continued the tale, telling of the attack on Suna, of the rising strength of the Akatsuki. He spoke of Orochimaru's and Itachi's deaths. He told the Hokage of the falling of the many Jinchuuriki and of Pain's invasion. He told of the Five Kage Summit, of the Fourth Great Ninja War, of Killer Bee's final showdown with the agents of the Akatsuki, and of his and Shino's capture.

He told of the fall of Konoha. "I'd only just escaped with Shino when I heard," he said, remembering the horror that had gone like a shock through his entire being. "It was horrible, knowing I should have been there." He shook his head. "Anyway, the Nara have protected the Ritual for as long as our history remembers. Shino and I collected the reagents for a month, and then on the Ritual night used them all. And here we are."

"So Shino was the one who accompanied you?" Hirzuen asked softly. He had, after the beginning, seemingly decided simply not to interrupt and instead to allow Shikamaru to weave the tale on his own.

Shikamaru nodded. "But there's more," he said. "Sasuke was the one who destroyed Konoha – and he took the Kazekage, Gaara, prisoner – Gaara was in the village at the time. Gaara apparently appealed to whatever better nature he had left or something, though I don't pretend to understand exactly what happened. The point is, Gaara knew about the Ritual through Shukaku. He told Sasuke. Now they're both back."

Hiruzen started to stand in alarm, but Shikamaru held up a placating hand. "Sasuke's changed," he said quietly. "Believe me. I'd never have thought it, but we all had a conference yesterday. Guilt doesn't even begin to describe what consumes him." _As it well should,_ he added privately, thinking of Contingency Plan Kitsune. "But that's not the point. No one's had contact with Gaara yet, but I expect he's fixing the situation in Suna as we speak. And there's one more of us time-travelers, too."

"And who might that be?" Hiruzen asked, leaning forward.

Shikamaru smiled wryly. "One who I am forced to be loyal to beyond even my loyalty to you, I'm afraid. But since he's perfectly loyal to you, it shouldn't be a problem."

Hiruzen leaned back. "Your Hokage."

Shikamaru grinned. "Yes, Sandaime-san. Naruto survived the fall of the village. And he's not going to let it happen again."

* * *

Morning, day, and evening again. Sasuke had always liked the evening. The cooling of the air had always seemed to soothe him, even in the midst of his raging.

And so now he found himself sitting out atop his roof, watching the sun set. The previous day he'd done this too, considering the allies he suddenly found himself with. Shikamaru, Shino, Naruto, Gaara, and himself. Frankly, Sasuke could scarcely even imagine a more effective team. He had found it difficult to rest, thinking of all of the possibilities opening to them even now, that he'd come out here to think on it all.

But now the novelty had worn off, and he found his thoughts drawn to a particular part of the previous day's conversation.

"_I'm only going to ask this once," the Nara growled, his rage at the insult slowly building. "How much did you have to do with making that armor?"_

_Sasuke just looked at him bleakly. "Too much," he murmured._

Too much, indeed. Sasuke swallowed hard, the guilt rising again like bile. How had he been so blind? When had he become so twisted? He thought of himself, only a month ago… or was it six months from now? He thought of the cruel, driven, weak-minded individual who had betrayed all he had ever known for a misguided vengeance.

And he hated him. Sasuke suddenly found that if he went to the core of his being and tried to pinpoint the person he hated most, he found a tie between two; Danzo and himself, with Madara close behind.

Sasuke suddenly chuckled. If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't been blocked last time by his status as Clan Head and the prestige of the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke was sure he'd have been all too likely in an asylum for a fair part of his childhood for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sasuke almost wished the man had been able to force it on him.

But a part of him whispered that he had gained too much to even consider such a thing. And he despised that part of himself for its selfishness. What right did he have to friendship, or camaraderie, or anything good in the world after all he had done? After the deaths of so many?

_Nothing,_ said a voice in his mind; and it was his own.

He put his head in his hands, but did not cry. He had cried for this once already. That was enough.

But then another voice spoke in his mind. _Pitiful,_ it said. _What is this, Uchiha? Self-pity?_

Sasuke's eyes snapped open. That was not his voice. _Kurama,_ he greeted softly.

And then he was elsewhere. He blinked in surprise at the sudden change of locale. He was seated on a grey marble throne, and looking around, he saw a great hall, a throne room, with a floor as black as night, pillars as red as blood, and walls and a ceiling like a great silver curtain overall.

But the sight was not grand. The throne's back was rent into two, one of the armrests was completely absent, and the other was horribly chipped. The entire left-hand corner of the hall as he faced it had collapsed completely, leaving a pile of crumbled masonry everywhere. Many of the pillars were cracked in ways that they were completely broken and held up only by the others. The floor looked like the earth of a wasteland, cracked into a thousand intricate pieces. It was dotted with piles of shattered rock where bits of the crumbling ceiling had fallen down.

The door was of rotting mahogany, grown over with ivy and other creeping plants. And then it opened, and in stepped a small fox. A fox with nine tails.

Sasuke stood up. "Kurama," he greeted again. "How can you communicate with me without Naruto present?"

"There was a reason Madara wanted you to synchronize with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path," said Kurama in his deep voice, quite out of proportion with the small body Sasuke could see. "The Uchiha have always been quite attuned to our kind, myself in particular – it's why you can control me."

"So why didn't Madara synchronize himself?" Sasuke frowned.

"The rituals don't work like that, first off," the Kyuubi grunted. "And secondly, Madara is a… special case."

Sasuke shrugged and changed the subject. If the Fox wanted to be noncommittal, Sasuke wouldn't pry. He had no place to. "Where are we?"

The Kyuubi didn't answer at once. He looked around, contemplating the ancient room, his eyes lingering on the broken back of Sasuke's throne. Then he chuckled softly, almost sadly. "This makes Naruto's mind look like a well-kept garden by comparison."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "This is my mind," he said, and it wasn't a question.

"Oh, yes," Kurama replied anyway. "I've seldom seen one so poorly kept."

Sasuke glared at him for a moment, and then looked down. "I'm just a repository for psychoses, aren't I?"

"In many ways, I suppose so," said Kurama frankly. "I wonder if you've seen the back of your 'throne'?"

Sasuke turned, and saw that the great crack in the seat was cut directly through the center of Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan eye. He looked away quickly. "Why am I here?"

"We need to talk," the Kyuubi said flatly. "I can't have you wallowing in self-loathing anymore. Your first serious missions are coming."

Sasuke sat back down, and then stood up. He wasn't sure he wanted to sit against Itachi's broken eye. "Would it be better if I didn't regret all I've done?"

"No," Kurama chuckled. "But think. What has been lost by your actions?"

"Nothing, now," said Sasuke, "Thanks to that Ritual. But I still did it." He turned away again, looking at the shattered chair. "I killed them," he whispered. "All of them."

"Yes," said the Kyuubi matter-of-factly. "You did. And it's time to make amends."

Sasuke turned to look at him, but the fox was no longer watching him. He was looking about the room. "I could tell you what most of this symbolizes," he said softly, "but I don't think I need to."

Sasuke shook his head, watching the fox in silence.

Kurama turned back to him. "Think, boy," he said. "How does wallowing in this hatred of yourself fix anything? How does this alter who you are or were? How does this fix the world?"

Sasuke looked down. "It doesn't."

"Then what does?" Kurama pressed quietly. "You should know better than this, Uchiha. Hatred never solved anything."

And he was right, the Uchiha reflected as the throne room faded from his sight. He was back on his roof now. He stood up and looked as the sun set, leaving the world in darkness.

Sasuke had always liked the evening. The cooling of the air had always seemed to soothe him, even in the midst of his raging.

But now, perhaps, passion was what he needed. The passion to achieve redemption, to protect, and be protected, to be a part of a group of nothing more or less than friends – Naruto's passion, really; now that was what he needed.

He had always liked the evening, but now, after many years, his heart went out to the morning, and the breaking of the dawn.

Feeling changed, he leapt down from the roof onto his porch. He slid open his front door, entered his home, and closed it again. It was late, and time to sleep.

* * *

_**End Arc One**_

* * *

**A/N: That's a wrap. I won't update next week, unfortunately – that's certain. I've been promising a revision, haven't I? Well, this is that revision. I may even take two weeks off – three at most. But then I'll come back. I can't promise weekly updates anymore, but every two weeks for a certainty. The reason for the slowing is that I've been neglecting my Hierarch Series, which was always intended to be the focus of my attention. So I'm going back to it now, at least in part. But I won't forget this. Not after twenty-three chapters.**

**So, the introductory arc is over! Next chapter begins the Wave Arc! And after that, we'll be diving into the Chuunin Exams!**

**Thanks to everyone who's followed me so far. I couldn't have done this well without all your support. I hope you won't mind my break – I am revising this thing, after all – and that you'll continue, as always, to read and review. Thank you all so much, and I'll see you in a few weeks.**


	25. Chapter 24: Review

**A/N: Well, I'm back. New stuff's happening. This chapter will surprise you.**

**Arc two begins now! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Arc Two**_  
_

_Chapter 24: Review_

* * *

"You're certain?" Shikamaru asked, one brow raised. "I don't see that it matters too much."

Naruto shrugged. "It matters to me."

The three of them – Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru – were seated in Shikamaru's private study, rather than borrowing Shikaku's hall. For the past month, the two pairs had been operating separately, but little had been done in that time.

However, they now approached, in Naruto's opinion, the first of many divergence points. And he therefore had come to speak with Shikamaru.

For in less than a week, Tazuna would be in the village, and a C-Rank mission would be authorized to escort him. And Naruto had every intention of taking the job.

Shikamaru shrugged, turning to the other boy. "What do you think of this, Sasuke?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I think it's utterly pointless," he grumbled. "We're already taking C-Ranks, so the pay boost isn't an issue. Naruto's obsessing over the idea that he can save Momoichi's henchman, Haku."

"It's A-Rank, Sasuke," Naruto grumbled. "We'll get paid three times as much!"

"If you'd ever bothered to pay attention last time," Sasuke countered, "you'd know that the Council refused to pay for that mission more than for a C-Rank on the grounds that it was completed without authorization, which is true. Like I said, no pay boost."

"Sasuke's right." Shikamaru cut in before Naruto could answer. "I remember looking into the debate when we were overthrowing the Hyuuga, looking for ways to discredit Hiashi. So," he cocked his head at Naruto. "Why do you want to take this one?"

Naruto's shoulders slumped and he looked away. "It was the first real mission we took," he said quietly. "It defined us—or at least me—for years afterward. I don't want to miss it. And," he looked at Shikamaru out of the corner of his eye, "it'll give me a chance to succeed where I failed last time."

"And what happens when you fail again?" Shikamaru asked softly. Naruto's head whipped to face him, glowering. "Some things can't change, Naruto," he told the blond would-be Hokage. "What makes you think you can turn aside from the road at every corner?"

"Because if we can't, then we shouldn't even be here," Naruto ground out through gritted teeth. "We have to try everything we can, Shikamaru. You _know _this; why are you asking me? The more we change for the better, the better our chances become."

Shikamaru smirked slightly. "Good; you're actually thinking instead of acting on instinct. I'll get the mission for you."

Naruto blinked. "What?"

Shikamaru chuckled. "I have nothing against you taking the mission. I just had to make sure it was for the right reasons. You're right, of course." Here he glanced at Sasuke for a moment as he said, "The destination is the sum of the journey."

Sasuke frowned, recognizing that he was being preached to but not grasping the meaning. _He'll work it out,_ Shikamaru thought. _He's smart. _"Now get going, you two," the Nara heir ordered. "I've got an appointment with the Sandaime to set up."

Naruto nodded, stood, and stretched. "You got it," he said, grinning. "Come on, Sasuke. Let's leave the guy to his important work."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he stood. "See you, Shikamaru," he nodded cordially.

"Later, Sasuke," murmured the Nara.

* * *

Naruto stopped just outside Shikamaru's door, rolling his shoulders. Sasuke stopped beside him, watching him.

"What's up?" the Uchiha asked.

Naruto shook his head with a slight grin. "That guy always puts me off my balance, that's all."

"You think _you've _got trouble," muttered Sasuke. "At least he likes you."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Come on. It's almost seven. Don't want to keep Sakura waiting."

And the two made off down the road at a trot.

They reached the training ground with a minute to spare, but their teammate was already there. She waved at them, but didn't move, and Naruto saw that she was in the middle of a form. He smiled slightly at that.

"Hey, Sasuke, could you watch me run through this form?" Sakura asked as they came up to her. "I'm not sure about one point in the middle. Hey, Naruto."

"Hey, Sakura," he said with a grin.

"Sure, Sasuke told her. "Naruto – Taijustu spar after I'm done?"

"You're on!" Naruto treated the Uchiha to a thumbs-up and headed off to a corner of the field to start his training routine.

* * *

Sakura watched in awe as her two teammates sparred. They never used Ninjutsu, for some reason, but their Taijutsu was stunning.

She felt frankly that fate had given her an automatic victory over Ino in all competitions simply because she could observe this almost every morning. Sasuke moved like a snake, or a bird – he was never where Naruto struck, always quick and striking with a deadly precision.

But if Sasuke was a serpent, then Naruto was a lion. If Sakura had been told two months ago that she would be admiring Naruto's skill and power in combat almost as much as Sasuke's, she'd have laughed at them.

And then tried to burn them at the stake for sacrilege.

The blond boy utilized nothing like Sasuke's graceful, elegant techniques, opting instead for a much more simplistic – but, for him, no less effective – stratagem of simply rushing his opponent with such quick and repetitive power and stamina that even Sasuke was barely able to hold his own. And that was only for the first twenty minutes of combat.

They scarcely ever fully finished a spar while Sakura was present, or indeed at all, but from those she had seen in full, Naruto almost always won. It wasn't that he was more skilled technically – quite the contrary, Sasuke's technique was flawless while his would make any traditionalist martial sensei wince – but simply a matter of stamina. Sasuke, for all his glorious abilities, was not tireless, while Naruto seemingly was. Sakura had only seen Sasuke win one of their spars, and that had been in the first five minutes of combat. Any later, and Sasuke would be too tired to go on a full offensive.

Sakura felt privileged to be on a team with these two. But if she had one complaint, it was simply that she felt unnecessary. She almost never took part in any sort of combat with the team – that was all up to her teammates. Her only valid contribution was her mind and tactical planning. Admittedly, though, that had helped them considerably on many a mission.

She'd been watching for three full minutes – a long time by a fights measurements – when she realized she was supposed to be working on a form. Sighing ruefully, she reluctantly turned away from the two boys and got back into her stance.

* * *

"Are you sure this is wise, Shikamaru?" Shino asked his comrade quietly. He was following the Nara to the Hokage's office where Shikamaru intended to request a specific mission for Team Seven.

"Why wouldn't it be?" the Nara heir asked nonchalantly.

Shino glared at him under his sunglasses. "Shikamaru, if something goes wrong, it could ruin everything! Why are we taking pointless risks?"

"I'm not sure you understand the nature of our mission, Shino," Shikamaru said suddenly, whirling to face him.

Shino blinked. "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru sighed. "The very nature of our mission requires risk-taking. The whole purpose is to take all the deadly risks from before sooner now that we're better prepared for them. In addition, we want to achieve greater success against all our more temporal risks. Such as, for instance, Naruto's mission to the Land of Waves."

Shino cocked his head at him. "Shouldn't we conserve every element of surprise we have for the really important tasks, though? Shouldn't we hide our full strength from the outside world?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Impossible. We have Naruto."

* * *

Hiruzen was just authorizing a massive stack of D-Ranked missions when Shikamaru came in. He looked up and nodded to the 'Genin', though perhaps the rank was erroneous. "Shikamaru," he greeted cordially. Once, he would have added the suffix '-kun', but he had a feeling the Nara would not appreciate the gesture, so he had taken to speaking to the boy as he would any adult Ninja. Because, after all, that was exactly what the boy was.

"Sandaime-san," Shikamaru returned with a deferential nod – but not a bow, because Hiruzen was not, after all, _his _Hokage.

"What brings you here today?" the Sarutobi elder asked, leaning back in his chair, eager for an excuse to ease up on the D-Rank authorizations. There was more of Tora, unfortunately. He pitied the poor Genin.

"Advice," Shikamaru said. "Or a request. Take it as you will."

The Hokage nodded. "I see. What might it be?"

"There will be a mission from one Tazuna, a bridge builder, in less than a week," Shikamaru said flatly. "The mission, a C-Rank, should be given to Team Seven."

Hiruzen frowned, looking at his desk. "That mission was just requested," he began.

"Good," Shikamaru grunted. "I recommend you assign it to Naruto and Sasuke's team."

"But it's not a C-Rank," Hiruzen finished, looking at Shikamaru pointedly for the interruption. "The payment was for C-Rank, but upon further examination, it was determined that an A-Rank was more correct. Tazuna is in the village and will receive the notification today."

Shikamaru stepped back, looking surprised and perturbed. "Why?" he asked quickly. "Why was it re-ranked?"

Hiruzen frowned. He didn't even need to look at the paper to reply. "Because of the presence of a high-threat S-Rank Missing-nin in the vicinity of the Land of Waves, of course. Was he not present before?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "What Missing-nin?"

Hiruzen studied him for a moment. "He's a relatively recent phenomenon," he said, watching the Nara's face for any odd reaction – he wasn't sure what. "His kill count is relatively low, as yet – none of Konoha. But several detachments from other villages in the vicinity of Wave have recently been cut down by a mysterious armored Ninja. He's taken out a full three-man squad of ANBU from Suna already."

Shikamaru stared at him, his mouth slightly ajar and his eyes wide. "Are there any descriptions of the armor as of yet?"

"Yes – three eyewitnesses have survived encounters with this Ninja," Hiruzen said, opening a bingo-book on his desk and flipping through the pages until he found the most recent addition. There was nothing more than a sketch where a photograph should go, but there was a description. He read it aloud. "Armor is silver. Mask appears skull-like. No skin shows. Blue lenses where the eye would normally be apparent. Small red insignia on pectoral – as yet unidentified." He looked up at Shikamaru and was surprised to see the boy shaking, eyes closed. His face was perfectly blank, and Hiruzen could not tell if he was shivering for shock, or fear, or rage or some mixture of all three. "Shikamaru?" he asked softly.

"We will continue this conversation another time," Shikamaru murmured. "I need to consult with my allies." And then he was out the door at a run.

* * *

"Hello, children," Kakashi said happily, leaping into their midst.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto grinned, giving the Jounin a thumbs-up. They'd just been starting to work together on forms, and Naruto, who despised forms with a passion, was extremely pleased to have an opportunity not to do them. "Time to get a mission?"

"Yes," said Kakashi. "Come on. Good work on the forms, by the way, Sakura," he added, treating the pink-haired girl to an eye-smile. "You're really improving."

She blushed and ducked her head. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei. It's all thanks to Sasuke's help, though."

"The greatest teacher can't teach a student who doesn't want to learn," Sasuke said, shrugging. "And I'm far from the best."

"Loving the bonding and all," said a voice overhead, "but there are more important issues."

Shikamaru jumped down into their midst. His eyes met Sasuke's and held them; he didn't even look at Naruto. "I need a word with Naruto and Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei," he said quietly. "Now, please."

"Fine," said Kakashi, shrugging. "Don't kill them."

"No promises," said Shikamaru, and Naruto shuddered inside at the deadly seriousness of his voice. What was wrong?

"Come on, you two," said Shikamaru, gesturing with his head to the thicker woods behind him.

They followed him into the trees. He led them until Naruto judged they were about out of earshot from Kakashi and Sakura, if they spoke normally. Then he stopped, and they did too, behind him.

"Sasuke," Shikamaru said softly. "I want an explanation."

And then he had spun and pushed the Uchiha against a tree, their noses nearly touching, and the Nara had a kunai against Sasuke's gut.

Sasuke spluttered. "What? What are you doing?"

"Hey!" Naruto shouted. "Get off of him!"

"Quiet!" hissed Shikamaru, eyes flicking over to glare at the blond. Turning his attention back to Sasuke, he whispered threateningly, "You need prompting? Fine. There had better be a damn good explanation, Sasuke, for the fact that Contingency Kitsune is wandering around killing people near the Land of Waves."

Sasuke's eyes grew wide, and no one could mistake his expression for anything other than it was – shocked horror. "…What?" he murmured brokenly.

* * *

**A/N: There. Next chapter we'll continue going over everything pre-mission. The mission itself should start in… oh, we'll say five chapters. Up until then, though, there's plenty in the way, as I bet you can tell.**

**Now, just so you guys who haven't figured out know, this didn't come out of the blue. You should remember, but if you don't, look back to previous chapters. Lots of you hated it, remember? Yeah, that thing. It's back.**

**Also, the full story revision's done. Only one major change, and I bet none of you can find it. I'll give you a hint – it's in the prologue. One major point – an actual story point, not just grammar – was changed. It has to do with the ritual and what it does. **


	26. Chapter 25: Reorganization

**A/N: Well the mission prep took less time than I thought. The troops are ready to move out to Wave already! They'll start traveling either next chapter or the one after.**

**In the meantime, sorry about the week's wait, but I've changed my creed a little. Now I've sworn to update SOMETHING each week. This is fun, but I've been neglecting everything else. So I'll still be updating it, but not ONLY it, and I really can't manage more than weekly updates. Sorry.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

_Chapter 25: Reorganization_

* * *

"You heard me," Shikamaru hissed, real fury in his eyes. "I just got back from the Sandaime' office. The Wave mission has been raised to B-Rank, because of the presence of an S-Rank missing-nin active in that area. He's already killed a Suna ANBU squad off. And he's wearing armor that perfectly matched what I saw in Madara's lair. I want an _explanation_. _**Now**_."

"I don't know, I swear!" Sasuke said in what the small part of his mind that was thinking rationally realized was an almost childlike display of shocked horror. But the greater part of his mind was busy getting weak at the knees with the weight of that very emotion. "They didn't have him! You _know _they didn't have him! It makes no sense!"

"_You_ didn't have him!" Shikamaru snarled in his face viciously, and Sasuke felt as though his heart was tearing at the confirmation of his guilt. "You're one of them! You were one of them from the moment you abandoned Konoha for Orochimaru!"

And then the Nara had been launched sideways by kick, courtesy of Naruto, who now stood between them, glaring at Shikamaru's prone form. "I'll say this once, Captain Hawk," said Naruto, quietly and forcefully. "You will not consider Sasuke to be one of our enemies again, verbally or otherwise, until he gives evidence that he is so. Is that clear?"

Shikamaru looked usp at him with hooded eyes for a moment and then sighed ruefully. "Sometimes I forget why you are our Hokage, Naruto," he murmured. "My apologies. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't," Naruto grunted. "Now, I'd really like to know what's going on."

"The armor Sasuke helped Madara make is in the Land of Waves on a missing-nin," Shikamaru explained. "Whoever it is has killed four Suna ANBU who came across it. The mission to Wave is set at B-Rank as a result – it'd be higher if this missing-nin was seeking confrontation."

_Whoever it is…_ Sasuke shuddered slightly. After a moment, however, he recollected himself. _That doesn't make sense,_ he told himself. _There must be another explanation_.

"But he's not seeking confrontation?" Naruto asked Shikamaru.

"No," Shikamaru said simply. "But his very presence is extremely unsettling. How did he get here? Or, more importantly, how did the armor get here?"

Naruto shook his head. Turning to Sasuke, he asked, "Did Madara ever show any artistic tendencies?"

Sasuke blinked. "No. Why?"

"Then he couldn't have designed the armor himself," Naruto concluded. "We have no proof the missing-nin wasn't present last time, and the armor design must have come from somewhere. Since the chances were all re-rolled, he must have just decided to go to Wave this time when he didn't last time."

Shikamaru blinked. "That… actually makes good sense, or something like it. When did you get inclined to figure out how the theory behind all of this worked?"

Naruto shrugged. "Around when it started having anything to do with me. Now, can you get us the mission?"

Shikmaru seemed to think for a minute, and then a wicked smile crossed his features. "The Sandaime won't allow one team of Genin to take this – even yours," he said quietly. "His decision would be too questioned and at best it'd make people suspicious. But perhaps he'd allow _two_ teams."

Naruto grinned. "So you're coming with us?"

"Oh, no," Shikamaru started laughing. "I'm need in Konoha. No, I was thinking Team Eight."

And then he was gone.

Sasuke saw Naruto's face slacken. He heard the blond whisper, "Hinata-chan…" thickly to himself.

Sasuke didn't mind the moment's respite for introspection. He couldn't help but continue to feel worried. It was true, after all, that Madara had no creative talent.

But Deidara and Sasori did. Konan, too. Even Pein and Zetsu had some.

So it couldn't be said that Akatsuki, at its height, had had a shortage of creativity.

But Madara had meant that armor for one man in particular. He'd never let anyone else wear it.

…Would he?

* * *

"After considering, we've thought up a valid explanation for the missing-nin's presence," said Shikamaru. The Sandaime motioned for him to continue, leaning back at his desk. "We believe that he was, in fact, present last time – that because of the re-rolled chances, he has surfaced in the Land of Waves rather than elsewhere this time."

Hiruzen nodded. "Very well, Shikamaru," he nodded. "What do you suggest I do?"

"I recommend two Genin teams be sent on the mission to Wave," Shikamaru said. "For multiple reasons. First, sending a squad of Jounin on a B-Ranked mission is nonsensical and would be questioned. Second, we _do _want to apprehend this missing-nin – he has destroyed members of Suna ANBU and if we can take him down and perhaps give them a portion of the reward as consolation for their losses it would strengthen our ever-frailer bonds."

"We went to war with them in the near future last time, didn't we?" Hiruzen interrupted grimly.

"A very brief and nearly harmless war, but yes," nodded Shikamaru. "In any case, a squad of Chuunin with no Jounin backup is not advisable for that aim. The logical conclusion would be to send squads of weaker Ninja – Genin, the obvious choice – to complete the core mission with stronger Ninja – their Jounin sensei – to take out the missing-nin, should he appear. But one squad of Genin to take a B-Rank mission is nonsensical. And one Jounin might prove insufficient in any case."

HIruzen was smiling now. "You make a shrewd politician, Shikamaru-san."

_I know,_ Shikamaru thought, not missing the new honorific. _I needed it all to pass off the engagement of Konoha's and Suna's main ambassadors to one another as a politically advantageous move. _But all he said aloud was, "Thank you, Sandaime-san."

"But wait," said the old Sarutobi. "Why would two of our Jounin be able to take out a missing-nin that has defeated a squad of Suna ANBU?"

Shikamaru smirked. "I advise you to play up the Sharingan politically, but you know as well as I do what the real power behind the team is."

"So, for this mission, I'll be assigning Teams Seven and Ten, correct?" Hruzen asked, beginning to write on the mission scroll.

"No," said Shikamaru quickly. "I need to be here in the village, Sandaime-san. I'm our group's tactician. Send Team Eight instead."

Hiruzen nodded slowly but didn't continue writing. "I just realized you haven't yet addressed the problem of payment," he said. "Is Tazuna going to be able to pay for a B-Rank mission in any case?"

"No," Shikamaru shrugged. "But how much will it cost to increase the mission's rank?"

Hiruzen looked down at his paperwork to check. "Two hundred ryo."

Shikamaru opened his wallet, counted its contents, sighed, and poured it out onto Hiruzen's desk. "That should foot it," he said. "I'll get Naruto o pay me back for part of it."

* * *

"We thank you for your business, Tazuna-san," the Hokage said.

Tazuna nodded, squinting at him. If he had known he'd be called back to the man's office again today, he'd have refrained from drinking any sake until the meeting was over. Unfortunately, they'd surprised him with this, and so he was already drunk to the point where he was absolutely certain he was embarrassing his homeland with his slurred speech. "'S no problem," he mumbled. "Need your help."

Hiruzen nodded. "Unfortunately, the mission you requested has been raised in rank to B-grade on the grounds of a missing-nin's known presence near Wave."

"Missing-nin?" Takuna blurted without thinking, then clamped his mouth shut hard. B-Rank was for the _presence_ of a missing-nin. If they knew that Tazuna himself was being gunned for, it'd be even higher. B-Rank, he might just be able to manage, given a little time.

"Yes," said the Hokage. "Fortunately, a benefactor who opted to remain anonymous has paid the increased cost."

Tazuna grinned. "Oh, good!" then he frowned. "Wait… what if 's someone trying to lure me t' the missing-nin?"

The Hokage smiled. "Don't worry," he assured Tazuna. "I know the source personally. I have complete faith in his loyalty."

"'Kay." Tazuna muttered. "So when d' we leave?"

"In a few days," the Hokage said. "I will be sure to notify you in advance, so that you can sober up."

Tazuna flushed. "Sorry. 'S hard."

"To be away from home for so long?" the Hokage asked softly.

Tazuna nodded woefully. "'Specially when they need me."

* * *

"This is most unwise, Hiruzen," Mitokado Homura said quietly.

The village elders were having tea with the Hokage to discuss various village affairs – including, in this case, Tazuna's mission to the Land of Waves. He and Koharu were in perfect agreement on this point – sending two Genin squads on a B-Rank mission paid partly by a benefactor who Hiruzen still refused to name made absolutely no sense.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. "Allow me to explain my reasoning, then," he said quietly without looking at either of them.

Homura frowned at this show of disassociation. For nearly two months, Hiruzen had become startlingly distant from his two former teammates. It was as though they'd done something to alienate him. But he simply nodded to the Hokage and waited for his explanation.

"Suna has recently lost multiple ANBU agents to the mysterious missing-nin near Wave Country," Hiruzen said. "They would be grateful were we to give them his or her head. Do you agree?"

Homura nodded, waiting for the other man to get to the point. Beside him, Koharu sighed in impatience.

"So the Chuunin squad expected for a B-Rank mission makes no sense if that is our unspoken aim," said Hiruzen. "We need Jounin. But we cannot send a squad of Jounin on a B-Rank mission – it looks illogical and other villages would think us frightened."

"But _Genin_?" Koharu asked, exasperated. "Hiruzen, you're the one who is so ridiculously overprotective of the children. What are you thinking?"

"The Genin will finish the core objective of the mission, which is little more than a C-Rank escort," Hiruzen spoke quietly, but his authority topped the woman's words. "Meanwhile, the Jounin will be on hand to capture or kill the missing-nin , should he or she appear."

"This missing-nin has destroyed a full squad of Suna ANBU," Homura said softly. "Yuuhi Kurenai only recently made Jounin."

"Kakashi Hatake has the precious Sharingan," Hiruzen countered. "You and Danzo were so afraid of it that we destroyed all but three of its known bearers – and though I still think that was an erroneous decision, you _were _right to fear. The Sharingan is dangerous. Hatake's Ninjutsu is nigh on unrivalled, and Yuuhi has similar standing in Genjutsu. There is, after all a reason she was able to become one of the five youngest Jounin-sensei in Konoha history despite the widespread prejudice against Kunoichi. They are capable."

"What I fail to understand," said a new voice behind Homura as the door opened, "is why we should be expending our resources to destroy an enemy of Suna."

"Danzo," said Hiruzen without inflection. "This is a meeting between the two village elders and myself. I count three people who should be in this room now – you are not one of them."

Homura's eyes widened slightly. Hiruzen had never dismissed Danzo so offhandedly before. What was happening to him?

Koharu was clearly extremely surprised as well. "How dare you dismiss Danzo-san so quickly?" she said loudly. "He has ever given us valuable counsel!"

"Counsel to war, yes," Hiruzen said, and though his voice never rose, and he didn't release even an ounce of Killer Intent, the room seemed to grow colder. The Hokage stood, and Homura had not seen so much power into the Hokage's aged form since they were young and fought side by side in battle. "How dare I?" he asked softly. "How dare _you_, Danzo." Hiruzen gestured to Homura and Koharu. "They were my teammates," he said softly. We fought and bled together. We fought and bled with you, too, but if your blood is not black by now I am most surprised."

Hiruzen turned away, looking out the window. "They were my friends," he said, and Homura felt an odd chill go down his spine. "But your eye has seen into their minds and now those minds see out of that very eye."

Homura distinctly saw Danzo stiffen ever so slightly. "What are you suggesting?" the old warmonger asked softly.

"Exactly what you know to be true," said Hiruzen, still quietly but now with a concentrated force. "You cannot turn its gaze on me – I will find it. But they are open. Well, no more. I cannot prove anything yet, but I have the means to find that evidence. The only reason I have not yet utilized them is because your blood belongs to another, and I will not steal what is his. Go. Do not deceive yourself into thinking my threats are empty. Do not come before me as an advisor again, and do not manipulate my teammates – I will know if you do."

Danzo stood still for a moment, and then turned, making to leave the room without a word.

"And one more thing," said Hiruzen quietly. "Don't turn your little band of human kunai against any of us either. I assure you, I _will _know."

Danzo didn't even turn around as he left.

Hiruzen fell back into his chair tiredly. "My apologies," he said to them both. "Please, don't ask me what I was talking about."

Homura frowned. "Why, might I ask? I think if Danzo is as much a threat as you seem to believe, we should know."

Hiruzen shook his head. "If he is a threat to the village, then it is because I have just made him so. He is a psychopath, perhaps, but until now he was one not turned against the village. And if he is now I am confident in my ability to contain him."

"But why do you suddenly hate him so?" Koharu asked.

Hiruzen sighed. "That is not my secret to divulge." He looked at each of them in turn. "In the event of my death, I want you to promise me never to elect Danzo as the Hokage."

They both nodded slowly. "I hope you'll explain this one day," Koharu said softly.

Hiruzen smiled ruefully at her. "I sincerely hope I never have to. Now, the mission to Wave will be as I have said. If I have not yet convinced you, I never will, and I am quite certain on this point. I am too tired to argue further now, in any case. Is there more to discuss?"

"Yes," said Homura, standing. "But it can wait for tomorrow." He put a hand on Hiruzen's shoulder. "Whatever this secret is, you don't have to bear it alone, old friend."

Hiruzen smiled weakly at him, and all of the authoritative power that had been in him was gone; Homura was struck by just how _old _his teammate was. _None of us have much longer to live, perhaps,_ he thought. _But dying of old age is the death of a very powerful Shinobi, after all._

"I'm not the one bearing it, Homura," he said softly. "I'm just helping them out."

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it. I doubt anyone expected me to alter the elders like that, and honestly nor did I – it just happened. Hope you like it.**

**Please, do me a favor and review! Thanks!**


	27. Chapter 26: Realignment

**A/N: And here we are. Cue the mission, I guess. Not a lot to say. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 26: Realignment_

* * *

Kakashi looked at the man blankly. "Hokage-sama, if you don't mind my asking… Why?"

Hiruzen sighed. "I've gone over my reasoning too many times in the past two days as it is, but if you insist…"

"No, no," said Kakashi quickly – the old man had visibly sagged at the prospect of explaining. "I'll figure it out eventually. Just tell me what I need to know."

The Sandaime nodded gratefully. "All right. It's a joint mission, which is why both of you are here." Here the Hokage nodded to both Kakashi and Yuuhi Kurenai beside him. "The mission is have very particular reason for assigning it to Genin, believe me."

Kakashi nodded, willing to accept that much information for now, but Kurenai frowned. "Hokage-sama… will this be a serious threat to my team?"

The Sandaime shook his head. "Given all the circumstances, I don't expect so. The original mission was C-Rank. It was raised due to the presence of a relatively unassuming S-Rank missing-nin in the area – which is the reason for the two Jounin-headed squads."

Kakashi raised his one visible eyebrow. "So let me guess. We have our spoken mission objectives for the Genin, while the two of us keep our eyes open for this missing-nin?"

"Precisely," agreed the old man. "Be warned, however: He's a fairly recent phenomenon, but we know he's eliminated a squad of Suna ANBU – low importance, not one of the high-profile groups. We want to be able to give them his head on a silver platter, but it's more important that everyone going on the mission survive."

"Respectfully, Sandaime-sama," began Kurenai, looking worried, "why am I being sent on this mission? I'm one of the newest Jounin. Surely a more experienced Ninja is better suited to something like this?"

Hiruzen looked at her appraisingly. "You're also the greatest Genjutsu specialist the village has to offer," he said. "Kakashi is our Ninjutsu specialist. Ideally I would send Maito Gai with you as well, thus completing the triad of Ninja talents, but three Jounin on a B-Rank mission is illogical. Perhaps after this, if the missing-nin is not captured, I will send a squad of Jounin to take him down. In the meantime, this is our lineup."

"Surely, though, Asuma would be a better choice?" asked Kurenai. "He's much more experienced than I am and he has a more powerful reputation."

"He's a Ninjutsu specialist like me, though," Kakashi answered for the Hokage. "You're a Genjutsu-user. Much less expected, and therefore more effective."

"Well, Maito Gai, then." Kurenai looked very worried.

_She's terrified for her team,_ Kakashi thought. _It's her first squad, and she's terrified of failing the kids._ Suddenly he realized something. _…It's my first team, too._ But then again, he should be more worried about his students failing than him. Sasuke and Naruto could probably each kill him, if their stories were anything to go by.

"His team is occupied elsewhere - a prolonged C-Rank near the border with Kumo," the Hokage explained. "You're the clear choice."

"Can't abide to be on a mission with me, Kurenai?" Kakashi joked quietly.

She glared at him but he met her eyes steadily, trying to convey a silent message to her. _Don't worry,_ he said wordlessly. _I won't let anything happen to any of you. _And nor will my team, he added to himself as he turned back to the Hokage.

"No, of course not," said Kurenai after a moment, and Kakashi had a feeling she'd gotten the message. "I'm just not sure I'm ready for a mission of such importance."

"I'm certain you are, Kurenai," said Hiruzen simply. "Now, on to the details. The spoken mission is as follows: You and your teams are to escort the bridge builder Tazuna to his home in the Land of Waves and protect him while he finishes his bridge there. Unofficially, you're taking down this missing-nin. Do not – I repeat, do _not_ – actively seek him out; not while you have Genin. If he comes, the Genin are the priority. This is his description, or what we have of it."

The Hokage passed them each a page, likely copied from the most recent Bingo Book. Kakashi studied it, especially the image.

The man on it was about average height, but given the heavy, silvery armor he was wearing his actual height was likely slightly less. No part of his actual body could be seen. His chestplate was adorned with a diagonal row of metal cylinders from his left shoulder to right hip, each containing a scroll. The backplate was littered with a network of spikes pointing downward reminiscent of the Sannin Jiraiya's signature Needle Jizo.

The shoulders were smooth and curved like ovals meeting in vicious points past his arms. His legs relatively as-expected, with metal pseudo-cylinders hugging the thigh and lower leg. The kneecaps were spiked, with a solitary point aimed upwards, and the toes of the boots curved down like shard talons.

The arms and helm were the most remarkable features. The elbows extended outward almost to blades – longer than a normal kunai by half at least. The gauntlets looked deadly, with spiked knuckles, fingers made of rings locked together, each curving into a point facing back and ending in points, and spurs on the backs.

The lower arms were adorned with an array of scroll-holding cylinders like those on the chest which looked to be able to revolve around the arm. Below these there was on each arm a smooth, flat cylinder around the arm, and around this was wrapped another scroll – a storage scroll, by the seals Kakashi could see.

The helm was adorned with spikes rather like a crown and the mask was fashioned like a skull, with blue lenses in place of a visor.

All in all, Kakashi had never seen a more threatening-looking suit of armor in his life; but he knew better than to get afraid over such a thing – it was not the armor but the wearer which was the threat.

After he'd studied the image to his satisfaction he turned to the other details. His eyes widened.

Topping the list of the missing-nin's known jutsu was Minato-sensei's Rasengan.

He immediately skipped back up to the name, which he'd largely ignored up then.

The ninja called himself the 'Dishonored'.

And now Kakashi did fear him. At least a little.

* * *

"Hello, children," said Kakashi, smiling with his eye as he leapt down from the trees into their midst.

Naruto grinned at him. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei! Mission?"

"Yup," nodded the Jounin. "Special assignment direct from the Hokage."

_Wave,_ thought Naruto happily. It had been almost a week since Shikamaru had requested the mission – it was about time it got assigned.

"The Hokage requested that we do a mission?" Sakura asked in awe. "As in, us specifically?"

Kakashi smiled at her with his eye. "Yes, Sakura. It's a joint mission with Team Eight. B-Rank with specialist parameters."

"B-Rank?" Sakura asked in shock.

In the same instant, Sasuke grunted, "Specialist parameters?"

Kakashi nodded. "It's B-Rank, but it requires Jounin attention to a coule specifics, so instead of sending the standard Chuunin squad, they're sending in two Genin teams with their Jounin sensei."

Sasuke nodded, and Naruto knew he didn't need to asked what the situation that required Jounin attention was. _It's that missing-nin,_ Naruto thought. _Who the hell is he?_

"Anyway, we're to report to the Hokage's tower immediately for our assignment," Kakashi said. "Come on."

And they were off.

* * *

Shino's eyes opened as soon as his insects informed him the Kurenai had come into the clearing, but other than that he made no move at all. He'd been meditating, allowing his hives to grow as much as he could, given his limited time with Hinata and Kiba sparred.

He watched his teammates for a moment. They were both good, but Shino knew their flaws inside and out. Kiba was headstrong, arrogant, and totally centered on brute force. Any halfway decent long-range specialist could have taken him out at this point, what with his utterly nonexistent Ninjutsu-Genjutsu library. Hinata, on the other hand, had exactly that hidden potential – she would make a fantastic Ninjutsu specialist and her Genjutsu capabilities, as Shino knew from experiences that had never happened, were far from marginal. But she was a Hyuuga, and Hyuuga _never _used Ninjutsu and seldom used Genjutsu. So she was forced to rely on Taijutsu, where she had scarcely any talent – and despite her clan's specialist techniques, it wasn't going well for her.

It didn't help that she idolized Naruto, the village's resident physical-technique fanatic. Well, secondary to Maito Gai and Rock Lee.

Kurenai was watching the spar as well, his insects reported to him after about half a minute. She also looked nervous. That was worrying – Kurenai might be somewhat more prone to nerves at this point in her life than other Jounin, but anything that made any Jounin nervous was labeled in Shino's mind as a bad thing.

Well, most Jounin, anyway.

The spar finished after a time with another victory to Kiba. He always won against Hinata simply because unlike her, he played to his strengths. As soon as the battle was settled, Shino stood.

"Kurenai-sensei," he said quietly, not turning to look at the Jounin in the tree behind him. "What is wrong?"

His insects saw her blink ins surprise, adjust her face to show no fear, and leap down all in an instant. "Nothing, Shino," she said, the epitome of calm. "We have a mission, that's all – B-Rank, joint with Team Seven."

Shino saw Hinata's eyes widen and a blush spread across her face before he turned to Kurenai. "I see," he said quietly. "When are we to be deployed?"

"Wait, wait, hold on!" cried Kiba. "Why the hell are we being assigned to B-Rank missions?"

"Does it matter?" Shino asked, turning to face him. "We have two Jounin – they could complete the average B-Rank alone in any case." At this, his insects reported that Kurenai winced. _Ah,_ Shino thought. _She's afraid for us. Understandable, but quite unnecessary._

Kiba frowned. "Then why not just send two Jounin?" he asked bewilderedly.

Shino shrugged. "Not our place to know or ask," he said simply. In reality, of course, it was nothing more or less than Naruto and Shikamaru deciding this was wise. But no one could know that yet.

"To answer your question, Shino," Kurenai said before Kiba could argue further, "We're to head to the tower now for assignment. The mission starts today."

Shino nodded. Naruto, he was sure, was pleased.

* * *

Sasuke was leaning against the wall, resting in the neutrally alert position he'd developed over years of fighting, when Team Eight arrived. Kurenai led, Kiba following, Hinata behind, and Shino in the rear. That struck the Uchiha as odd for a moment – Hinata would have gravitated to the rear – until he realized it was an impulsive tactical decision on Shino's part. He was placing himself and Kurenai, the two most capable and alert Ninja, in the rear and front.

This made Sasuke suddenly realize just how out of place they were. Each of them – Naruto, Shino, Gaara, Shikamaru, and himself – were probably more mentally prepared for combat than most of the Ninja world's Jounin. Their Ninjutsu were in the top degrees. They were the best.

_Like wolves in sheep's clothing,_ he thought, and hated himself.

In the instant he thought all of these, Naruto looked over at where the other Team was coming in and smiled – not his old, childish, insincerely wide smile, but the soft, almost hesitant smile he had always saved for those who were the very closest to him. "Hey, Hinata-chan."

Hinata blushed a deep red. "Hello, N-Naruto-kun."

"Good, you've arrived," said the Sandaime from behind his desk then, and at once, everyone turned to him. "Teams Seven and Eight, your mission is as follows. You are to escort the bridge builder Tazuna to his home in the Land of Waves and protect him while he completes a bridge there. Be warned – we have received intelligence that an S-Rank missing-nin is in the area, but is not actively seeking confrontation. Do you understand?"

All eight of the joint-squad's members nodded dutifully, and Sasuke was struck by an odd feeling of nostalgia. He almost smiled. It was… good, he decided, to be back here, when things were simple.

"In that case, bring Tazuna-san in," said Hiruzen to the waiting attendant. The ninja nodded and left. After about half a minute of silence, he returned with the bridge builder.

Sasuke frowned slightly. The man wasn't drunk.

"Good day, Tazuna-san," said the Sandaime. "These eight ninja will be your escort on the way back to Wave Country."

Tazuna nodded, studying them all. Sasuke remembered last time, when the drunken man had openly insulted Naruto. But this time he wasn't drunk. Sasuke didn't know why, but he supposed it didn't matter. At least this time he didn't look likely to insult anyone.

"I'd just like to thank all of you for helping me," he said courteously. "I hope it doesn't inconvenience any of you too greatly."

Sasuke shrugged. "You get paid to go out of your way to build bridges. We get paid to go out of our way to help you get out of your way to build bridges. Our Jounin Sensei get paid to go out of their way to help us go out of our way to help you go out of your way. To build bridges." He noticed then that every single person in the room was staring at him. He just shrugged again. "Economy."

Tazuna blinked at him for a moment before chuckling. "I suppose that's one pragmatic way of looking at it. And also, thank you, Hokage-sama, for forewarning me about this meeting."

The Sandaime smiled. "It wouldn't do to be drunk for your mission assignment, would it?"

"Absolutely not!" Tazuna laughed.

Naruto and Sasuke made eye contact and looked away almost immediately.

"Awnyway," said Kakashi, smiling with his one visible eye as he always did. "Shall we be going?"

Tazuna nodded at him. "Whenever you're ready. We'll do introductions on the road."

Kakashi gave him a quick thumbs-up and then turned to the Sandaime. "Well, hoping to see you in a couple weeks or so, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen nodded gravely. "Yes. Good luck, Kakashi, Kurenai."

And they were off again.

* * *

**A/N: There you have it. Wave mission, begin!**

**Anyway, there's one thing that dissatisfied me in the chapter. A quick note on it.**

The gauntlets looked deadly, with spiked knuckles, fingers made of rings locked together, each curving into a point facing back and ending in points, and spurs on the backs.

**The fingers can best be visualized as the fingers from the gauntlets worn by the Nazgûl in the Lord of the Rings movies. That's where the look came from. It's hard to describe.**

**Hope you liked the chapter. Do me a favor and review, okay? Thanks!**


	28. Chapter 27: Reentry

**A/N: Here you are – another chapter. And it has my first real fight scene in the story – fun. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 27: Reentry_

* * *

Hinata was having a difficult time staying conscious. She didn't even know it was physically possible to blush this hard for this long.

As soon as they'd left the gates of Konoha behind them, Naruto had fallen into step with her and started talking – just making light conversation. Sasuke had watched for a moment and then spoken quietly to Kakashi before going off into the woods with Shino to watch their flanks.

Hinata didn't care in the slightest. It was her first mission with Naruto. That was already unbelievable and when it had first been assigned she'd been almost delirious with glee.

But that wasn't the end of it. Now, out of all the people here – the two Jounin and the other four Genin, two of which were his teammates, Naruto had chosen to talk to her. She would have thought she was dreaming if she hadn't felt pain when she pinched herself.

But now they'd been walking for half an hour. The sun was high above – the morning was almost spent. And by now even she – timid and shy though she was – had no choice but to get comfortable with conversation with Naruto. At first she'd almost wanted to flee, but now she was almost at ease talking with him.

She still stuttered horribly, though.

"I've never been really good at structured katas and styles, see," Naruto said sheepishly, grinning at her. "So instead I just watch everyone's Taijutsu and put together all the moves I like. It sometimes goes crazy and doesn't work very well, but it _does_ make my Taijutsu some of the most unpredictable of any Ninja I've seen."

"That s-sounds very useful, N-Naruto-kun," said Hinata quietly. "Shino-kun says that the b-best way to d-defeat one's enemy is t-to understand them as w-well as one understands oneself. If th-they can't kn-know you, they c-can't win."

Naruto cocked his head. "Shino says that?" he said in surprise. Then he grinned. "That's a Nara saying. I guess he picked it up from Shikamaru."

"He has been s-spending a lot of time w-with Shikamaru-san," Hinata nodded. But inwardly she wondered how Naruto had known that Nara motto – Naruto had rarely been seen with anyone up until he'd become a Genin and joined his squad. Where would he have come to know the Nara better than she – heiress (however downtrodden) to one of the most prestigious clans of Konoha – did?

"There, see?" he grinned. Then, suddenly, he reached out, grabbed her arm, and gently pulled her towards him.

For a moment she had no idea what was going on and her head spun. Then, as she looked down to hide her flaming face, she saw that she'd almost stepped into a small puddle of water in the middle of the road.

"Sorry about that," said Naruto embarrassedly. There was, she saw as she looked back up to him, a dusting of pink on his cheeks, too – and seeing it made her heart race. "We don't want you getting wet, do we?"

She shook her head silently, not trusting herself to speak.

"Anyway," he continued, "I've even incorporated a couple Gentle Fist techniques into my Taijutsu style – only those that don't need a Byakugan to be effective. But what about you? What kind of Taijutsu do you use?"

"Well, the G-Gentle Fist," she said sheepishly. "Hyuuga don't usually learn much else."

"I suppose that makes sense," he said, shrugging. "But what about Ninjutsu? What kind of Ninjutsu do you use?"

She looked down. "The Hyuuga don't…"

And then there was the sound of clinking metal, followed by a gut-wrenching noise of tearing flesh behind them. Both of them whirled to see Kakashi being torn asunder by two chain-wielding Ninja who had emerged from the puddle she had almost stepped in.

The Ninja were wearing Kiri headbands.

* * *

"Keep this up," said Sasuke quietly. "If that missing-nin does appear, I want advance warning."

Shino nodded. "And what will you do?" he asked quietly.

Sasuke gestured toward the path to their left. "There's about to be an attack on our party by Kiri missing-nin if the facts are consistent," he explained. "I want to be there in case Naruto's distracted."

"Ah, Hinata," nodded Shino in agreement. "Wise. What is the enemy's strength?"

"Two Chuunin," Sasuke shrugged. "Nothing too dangerous – I took them last time without much trouble. Naruto got hit that time, though – and this time, we have more targets."

"Ah," Shino murmured in understanding. "Go, then. I will watch."

Sasuke nodded gratefully to him and leapt back towards the path. He reached the trees just out of obvious view just as the party was walking past the puddle where he knew two missing-nin were hiding.

He saw Naruto pull Hinata out of the way of it. _Good, _he thought. _He's not too distracted._

Suddenly he met Kakashi's eye. Sasuke pointed at the puddle. Kakashi nodded and turned away without a word.

_He'll want to dupe them like last time,_ Sasuke thought. _Figure out who they're targeting. And it'll get him ready for when Momochi appears, so it's good. Fine_.

So Sasuke curbed his famous impatience and waited for all of thirty seconds while the Mist-nin decided it was safe. Then they struck. Kakashi was hit…

And Substituted with a log right next to Sasuke.

"Use Substitution," hissed Kakashi softly.

Sasuke understood. He formed a Ram Seal and was gone; replaced by the same bundle of twigs that had just replaced Kakashi.

Sasuke saw the two Chuunin charge toward his team. One launched his chain toward Naruto and Hinata. But there was an odd twist to it. Sasuke blinked, and suddenly he saw, as though silhouetted in the air, the movement of the chain as it whipped around and struck Tazuna in the heart – before it happened.

So he didn't move to defend his friend and teammate. Instead his leapt into action to guard the bridge builder. Just as he'd foreseen, the chain whipped around and came straight toward him.

Sasuke grinned. It had been too long since he'd seen battle.

He drew a kunai and hooked it through one of the holes in the chain, his eyes tracking the linked metal as it flew, seemingly in slow motion, towards him.

He spun the blade around in his hand and plunged it up to the hilt into the ground. Looking back up, his eyes locked onto the other Chuunin's chain, which was swinging towards him in an arc.

Sasuke had two kunai in his hands in an instant and, using one as leverage, redirected it towards the Chuunin whose chain he had incapacitated. The man's eyes widened in the instant he had before the poisoned razor-blades shredded his gut and he was down.

In that same instant, Sasuke was already moving toward the other Ninja. The man was a Chuunin, and was therefore trained enough to waste no time on guilt for his inadvertent friendly fire, opting instead to swing his chain about at his assailant.

The Uchiha could have ducked, but that would have made the chain continue its course and strike Tazuna. So instead he spun, watched the chain's movement for an instant, and then tossed a shuriken.

It intercepted the very tip of the chain, redirecting it into a tree. Sasuke knew this not by sight, though, but by sound, because he had continued his turn and was facing his enemy once again. He grasped the man's metal-encased arm in a vice-like grip and, using that as leverage, leapt whirling into the air until he was almost parallel to the ground, facing down. Then he kicked the man in the chest with both feet.

Sasuke felt a couple of ribs give way under his sandals. The kick was powerful enough that both he and the man flew in opposite directions several feet, the man's weapon coming off in Sasuke's hands. The boy flipped in the air, hooking the man's chain-gauntlet onto his right arm, and landed already turning towards the man…

Only to see that his services were no longer required. Naruto had caught the flaying man, spun him, and thrown him to the ground on his back, and was now kneeling over him with a kunai at his neck.

The entire battle had taken perhaps thirty seconds.

Sasuke reached for the gauntlet to take it off, the thought for a moment. _This thing is far more flawed than it should be,_ he thought. _The chain is too easily compromised; the gauntlet too hard to remove. But it's still an asset. If all else fails I'll bring it back to Konoha to put in our village weapons' stores. And it could be improved without too much difficulty_. So he left it on as he walked over to Naruto.

The blond Jinchuuriki was interrogating the prisoner – not that there was any real need; they both knew most of the information the man could give them anyway. But for the sake of appearances they had to appear unknowing.

"Who hired you?" Naruto growled furiously. "Why were you attacking our client?"

"I'll never divulge information about an employer," hissed the Chuunin. "You underestimate me, Leaf Genin. I always knew your village was soft… I bet _you'd_ tell anyone that in this situation…"

"Do I seem soft to you?" Sasuke asked quietly, stepping into the man's field of view. The defeated Shinobi looked up at him and shuddered. "No," he muttered noncommittally.

"Then when I tell you that my teammate here could kick my ass twice before I hit the ground, I want you to know what I mean," said Sasuke. "He's… well, you tell him," he nodded to Naruto.

"I'm the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi," said Naruto softly, leaning into the man's ear so the other Genin who were coming toward them wouldn't hear. Sasuke saw the man's eyes widen in terror. "And it gets better. See, Kur- the Kyuubi and I have an understanding going. There's no seal over him. If I need his help, I can call on every ounce of his Chakra in a moment."

_I can even speak freely, _said Kurama softly, transmitting his thoughts outward to both Sasuke and the Chuunin. _So tread carefully, mortal. Now, who hired you? __**Talk!**_

"All right!" The man screamed, his voice breaking. "All right! I'll talk! Just get away from me!"

Naruto stood up, and Sasuke stepped away from the man.

Kakashi came up next to them, and so did Kurenai, as the man began to speak. "We were hired by the shipping tycoon Gato," he began. "The two of us and our group, led by Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist."

Sasuke nodded. "He's a member of the Seven Swordsmen, right? Or a former member… does he stay a member after defecting from the village?"

"The membership is embodied by the blades," said the Chuunin, eager to change the subject. "As long as he wields Kubikiriboucho, he is one of the Seven Swordsmen."

Sasuke nodded. "I see. All right, why are you working for Gato, and why does he want Tazuna dead?"

"Gato has enforced a full trade monopoly on the island nation of the Land of Waves," said the Chuunin. "He controls the water, and thus controls everything in something close to a dictatorship."

"And if Tazuna's bridge is completed, he loses his embargo," said Kakashi. "But I thought Gato was a relatively upright businessman."

The Chuunin shook his head. "Gato's ships are used for more than just simple transport – I've stocked up a few of them myself. He uses his merchant marine to move and sell massive amounts of contraband all over the world. And he intends to use the Land of Waves as a base of operations for that purpose."

Sasuke shrugged. "Crime-fighting wasn't in our mission parameters; nor was going against one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. But I can't help but feel guilty leaving Tazuna like this. What do you say, Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei?"

"Let's talk about it with the Genin and Tazuna – we still don't know why he duped us," said Kakashi.

Kurenai nodded. "Good idea. What about the prisoner?"

Sasuke shrugged. "We should probably send him back to Konoha somehow, but who'll take him?"

"I can," said Shino's voice, and suddenly Sasuke's eyes locked on to a tiny insect flying past him. It hooked on to the man's neck and he went limp. "I will send an Insect Clone to Konoha carrying him. I'll deliver him straight to T&I."

"Good," said Kurenai, nodding at her Genin behind them. Sasuke turned to face the Aburame just as he was creating his Insect Clone.

"Make sure you get him there safe," said Sasuke.

Shino nodded. He seemed about to say something when Sakura ran up to them and, staring at Sasuke, exclaimed, "What happened to your eyes, Sasuke-kun? Are you okay?"

Sasuke froze. Slowly, he halted the flow of Chakra to his eyes.

He'd had the Sharingan active during that whole battle. The three-tomoe Sharingan he wasn't supposed to have yet.

_Don't worry,_ Kurama said quietly. _It's not too much of a problem – there have been similar occurrences._

_Did they happen against two simple Chuunin?_ Sasuke thought back.

Kurama didn't answer. This wasn't good.

* * *

**A/N: There you are. Now, there was one thing I feel wasn't adequate in the canon which I've changed here. See:**

The Chuunin shook his head. "Gato's ships are used for more than just simple transport – I've stocked up a few of them myself. He uses his merchant marine to move and sell massive amounts of contraband all over the world. And he intends to use the Land of Waves as a base of operations for that purpose."

**Now, when I first watched the scene where Tazuna explains that Gato's a drug dealer, I had to ask myself, "Why the hell does that matter? It shouldn't make a lick of difference to any halfway decent Ninja. What matters is that Gato's got Wave under embargo, not that he deals drugs. It's not like that has anything to do with Wave." I think the reason it was added originally was simply to make Gato look that much more evil, but it came off a little bit cheesy and stupid, in my opinion. So I had two choices – I could remove it altogether, or I could give an explanation of why it mattered. I just opted for the latter.**

**Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. Please review!**


	29. Chapter 28: Rephrase

**A/N: Well, here you are. Hope you enjoy. This one gave me a little trouble – I had writer's block for about two days at the end of Kurama's part. But I pushed past it. Enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 28: Rephrase_

* * *

_Damn it,_ Kurama thought. _This is that Shiakamaru boy's arena. Now I have to salvage this._

He took a tiny fraction of time to think. Then a little longer, because nothing came to him. And then Sasuke started speaking.

"It's the Sharingan," he said quietly. "The Uchiha clan's Kekkei Genkai."

Through Naruto's eyes, Kurama watched as Hinata nodded. "It was unlocked now, then – it's said that combat stress activates it."

Sasuke cocked his head at her. "How did you know that?" he asked in surprise. "The Sharingan's workings are a clan secret."

Hinata blushed, looking down embarrassedly. "The Hyuuga understand the Sharingan better than most," she replied. "We can grasp the workings of most Doujutsu with more ease than others, given the Byakugan."

Sasuke nodded, accepting the answer. "Not like there's a clan to keep the secret now, anyway," he shrugged. "But you're right. It awakens in combat stress."

"And yours activated here," Kakashi decided.

Kurama raised a spiritual eyebrow. _Kakashi must not know exactly how the Sharingan awakens, _he surmised. _I suppose Uchiha Obito was one of those rare cases where full awakening is achieved all at once._

Sasuke nodded. "It was… interesting," he said quietly. "I could see the chains' paths before they'd moved."

"Well, enough about Sasuke," said Naruto suddenly. "We should move."

Sakura glared at him. "How dare you!" she said loudly. "You're just jealous!"

"Sakura," Sasuke said, quietly but forcefully. "You're better than that."

Kurama sighed as the girl froze in surprise. Clearly she wasn't.

_You saw her last time,_ Naruto told him. _You know she is._

_I know she can be,_ Kurama shot back. _Right now she's little more than dead weight, from a tactical standpoint._

Naruto sighed inwardly, but didn't bother to argue.

"W-what do you mean, Sasuke?" asked Sakura, turning slowly to face the Uchiha.

Sasuke sighed. "What was our first lesson as a team?"

She didn't answer.

"Teamwork," Naruto said finally.

"_Unbiased_ teamwork," Sasuke corrected, looking at Sakura. "Naruto was right – we should get moving. We can talk about the Sharingan on the road as well as we can here. You should have seen that."

"I…" Sakura looked down. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Sasuke said, turning to the bridge builder, who was off to the side, watching the proceedings. "Just improve. Tazuna-san, are you all right?"

"Yes, thanks to you," said the man, but he looked ill-at-ease.

_Because now we know he's lied to us,_ Kurama thought. _Fool. It takes a Shinobi to trick a Shinobi._

"That's good," said Kakashi, coming up to him. "Now, I think we should talk about this."

Tazuna sighed and explained. "The Land of Waves is poor, especially given Gato's exploitation. Even the Daimyo hasn't got much. Given what little money I could get together, all I could afford was a C-Rank mission. Someone else footed the bill when it rose to B-Rank."

Kakashi nodded. "I see. But I'm not sure you understand." He studied the bridge builder for a moment. "You do realize you've essentially performed an act of aggression on Konoha, don't you?"

The man's eyes widened. "How?"

"You deliberately gave their Ninja a mission above their expected capability to handle," Kakashi said smoothly. "If any Ninja on this mission dies as a result of something you hid, it's on your head."

Tazuna shuddered visibly. Naruto blinked in surprise.

Kurama snorted at his host's amazement. _Oh, come on, Kit. This never occurred to you? __**How**__ did you become Hokage exactly?_

_Oh, shut up, furball,_ Naruto snapped childishly.

"In that case, maybe we should head home," Sakura put in nervously. "I mean, we're Genin. We shouldn't really even be doing B-Rank missions, let alone A-Rank."

Kakashi just laughed harshly. "Shino, wait a moment," he said quickly to the Aburame, who had hung about – prepared to step in should Sasuke bungle covering his mistake. "I remembered a question I need to ask him – wake him up." He turned back to Sakura. "Depending on the answer to that question, Sakura," Kakashi said quietly. "This mission may have jumped to S-Rank."

All of the Genin were totally silent. Even Naruto felt worried. _We'll be fine, Kit,_ said Kurama. But in the confines of his private mind he added, _I hope._

Suddenly the man gasped as he awoke. Kakashi turned to him. "One last question," he said, smiling at the man with his one eye. "On your missing-nin force – is there a ninja who calls himself the Dishonored? He wears full body armor in a signature style."

The Chuunin was already shaking his head. "Never heard of him."

"Good," Kakashi sighed, nodding to Shino. The insect-user incapacitated the man again and was off. "All right," Kakashi said, looking around at them all. "As long as that answer holds true, this mission is A-Rank. I don't like leaving a mission totally inconclusive, so we'll at least take you to your homeland, Tazuna-san – if that's all right with you, Kurenai-san?"

Yuuhi looked worried. "If you're sure it's a good idea, Kakashi-san… I'm worried, honestly."

Kakashi smiled at her. "It'll be fine, at least that far. They'll want to see if we leave him there before attacking again in any case."

Kurenai nodded. "All right. So once we reach Wave, we'll decide whether to continue?"

Kakashi nodded. "Everyone agree?"

There were no objections, though Hinata and Sakura looked worried. _I wonder if there is validity to the argument that Kunoichi are weak,_ Kurama mused. _No, I think not – they're simply more cautious, and among humans, caution can mean the difference between life and death._

"All right," Kakashi finally said. "Then let's go."

* * *

The oar slipped in and out of the water in almost perfect silence. The mist was thick about them. The team of eight was split into two groups – four of them sat in the boat with Tazuna and the boatman, Kaji, while the other four – those who both could and could get away with walking on the water with the greatest ease – namely the two Jounin, Naruto, and Sasuke; the boat wasn't big enough for the eight of them.

Naruto had looked at him questioningly when he had stayed in the boat, but Sasuke had explained to him quietly. The reasoning was obvious to the Aburame – Naruto and Sasuke were far and away higher-profile. Compared to their other activities, walking on water was minute in importance. Shino, on the other hand, was a hidden trump card; the longer he kept his abilities hidden, the more effective he was.

The water-walkers were immediately beside the boat – the thick mist made it advisable to stay near the client. Naruto was taking point, immediately in front of the boat. Sasuke was to the right, and Kakashi brought up the rear – leaving Kurenai walking right beside Shino on the left.

She looked worried, Shino mused as her looked up at her. It was unfortunate – caution was wise, but fear did not befit a Jounin. Contingency Kitsune might be problematic, but after all, it was no Jinchuuriki. Naruto would protect them if it came to blows with the mysterious enemy.

But Kurenai had no idea about Naruto's ability to wield Kurama's strength. For all she knew, the Bijuu was sealed totally, allowing for no Chakra passage into the boy. It would never occur to her that perhaps there was no seal at all.

But regardless of the reasons, a frightened Jounin was less help than a confident – if cautious – one. "Kurenai-sensei," Shino said quietly into the thick silence.

She looked over at him in surprise. "What is it, Shino-san?"

"You must calm yourself," he said softly. "Team Seven is unworried, and Kakashi is more experienced than you are at this sort of mission."

Kakashi chuckled. "It's not every day that a Genin tells his Sensei to follow another Jounin's example."

"It's simply truth," Shino countered. "Kurenai-sensei is worried, and her fear dulls her effectiveness as surely as it does for any other Ninja. If there is a serious threat, we must be ready to meet it optimistically or risk failure."

"Shino-san's right," said Sasuke from the boat's other side. "Any force of arms must go to battle prepared to lose but intending to win."

"So cheer up, Kurenai-sensei!" said Naruto loudly, grinning back at them. Shino winced at the sudden increase in decibel level, but it was sensible – Naruto knew where the original threats were positioned, and if Contingency Kitsune was nearby, he already knew the team was passing.

Of course, Kaji the boatman did not see it that way. "Be quiet, brat!" he whispered furiously. "We're in grave enough danger as it is – if Gato catches us, we're dead!"

"Don't bet on it," murmured Sasuke, "but shut up, Naruto."

"Fine," mumbled Naruto, pouting childishly.

Shino was struck by the blond boy's immaturity. _He's enjoying this second childhood,_ he thought in mild interest. _While it lasts – in the end, though, we're already at war._

That thought surprised him, but it was true. Akatsuki was out there and was ready to harvest the Bijuu. They might have already begun. Orochimaru was still alive, building up Oto even as they prepared to face him.

_This is already wartime,_ Shino mused. _And we few who have lived it already are the only ones who know it._

"Thank you, Shino-san," Kurenai said suddenly, breaking into his thoughts, and he looked up at her in surprise. She was smiling at him. "You're right," she said. "Defeatism never helped anyone."

He nodded slowly, but said nothing. They all knew it was true.

And then the mist was suddenly behind them and the day was bright. All arrayed before them was a bright little port town; small, quiet, and almost quaint, even to someone who had come from Konoha and not one of the massive cities the Daimyos of the five great nations resided it.

They landed and Kaji bade Tazuna farewell, speeding away on the motor that had been to dangerous to use a moment ago, while Tazuna was there.

"Come on," said the Bridge builder, turning from the water. "My house is in another hamlet, about two miles away. We can rest and eat there when we arrive."

The Ninja silently formed up around him as he led them away, through the cluster of buildings and into the trees.

* * *

_There's the lake,_ Naruto thought. _Zabuza should be here any minute._

_Not nervous, are you? _Kurama chuckled jokingly. _It's just Momochi – we could kick him into next week with our eyes closed._

Naruto smirked inwardly. _Not really. Although, Hinata-chan…_

_Bah, _Kurama said flatly. _We've got two Jounin and three of you human time-travelers, one of which has me inside of him. The Hyuuga will be fine._

Naruto grinned. _You're right, of course. _Then his smile faded for a moment. _Still, though, I think it's wise if we split up the two teams for the battle – Team Seven can fight Zabuza and Team Eight will escort Tazuna away._

_I agree, _the Kyuubi grunted. _Get it to happen when the fight begins._

And then the fight began.

"Get down!" Kakashi said, suddenly and forcefully.

Naruto was already moving, having heard the sudden whooshing of air that signified Kubikiriboucho moving through the air. But he did not simply duck. He dove toward Hinata and pulled her down, holding her with his arm across her back as the massive word whizzed overhead.

Of course, she'd already been going down when he reached her, and in a moment he felt guilty for underestimating her. "Sorry, Hinata-chan," he said quietly and quickly. "I should have trusted you to go down yourself."

"It's f-fine, N-Naruto-kun," whispered Hinata. Her face was bright red, and so close to his…

He blinked, shook himself, and stood, giving her a smile. Zabuza was already watching them from his vantage point on his sword. "Kurenai-sensei," Naruto called. "Take your squad and get Tazuna-san out of here."

Naruto could hear the worry in Kiba's voice. "What's going on? Who's that?"

"Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said flatly. "A-Rank missing-nin from Kiri. Head of the outlaw force Gato's employed to get rid of Tazuna." Naruto, who was beside Kakashi, saw the man turn to face Kurenai behind them. "Naruto's right, Kurenai-san. Get your team and go."

"Shouldn't you Jounin face him and we Genin can get Tazuna away?" Sakura said softly and worriedly.

"This is an A-Rank mission, Sakura," said Kakashi flatly. "We cannot allow Genin to move about on their own. Stay behind Naruto, Sasuke, and myself in this battle, all right? Go, Kurenai!"

Naruto turned to the now-standing Hinata for just long enough to smile at her again and give a quick wave before turning his narrowing eyes to Zabuza.

"I'm surprised Tazuna was able to afford two squads," Zabuza said, chuckling. "Even if they are Genin teams."

"Genin teams, maybe," said Kakashi, as Kurenai led her team away at a run. "But they have Jounin."

And Naruto saw him raise his headband, and the Sharingan shone red.

* * *

**A/N: There you have it – Zabuza's turned up, and the fight'll be next chapter. Hope you liked this update, and please review!**


	30. Chapter 29: Reintegration

**A/N: Hi again. Here's another chapter. Sorry about last week, but not too sorry. It'll keep happening. See, I've decided to start splitting my time between this and my older Hierarch Series. Expect biweekly updates for each, alternating, like this past two-week cycle. So, that means I'll no longer be updating every week – every other week instead. Sorry.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. It's my first time doing a battle of any kind almost solely without Taijutsu. It's not long, of course, but then it's only a prelude to the Battle of the Bridge later on. Now **_**that**_** will be fun.**

* * *

_Chapter 29: Reintegration_

* * *

_Bah,_ muttered Kurama in scorn. _Jounin are nothing. It's us the fool should be afraid of._

_Maybe, _Naruto agreed. _But remember, we don't want to kill him. Haku would never forgive us._

_And in all honesty, _Kurama said, _I'd rather this moron was Mizukage than the puppet we have now._

Naruto agreed inwardly, knowing Kurama would sense it, but didn't reply with words. Instead he looked over at Sasuke. The Uchiha caught his eye, and in the instant exchange of two men bound more closely than kin, they had a plan.

Naruto grinned, and turned back to Zabuza, who had been speaking through the past exchange, which had taken all of three seconds. "Oh? I get to see the infamous Sharingan so early?" he said mockingly. I'm honored, Kakashi. Really."

Sasuke snorted. "One Sharingan's fine," he said loudly. "Two are better."

In the instant where Zabuza turned his attention to Sasuke's now-manifested Sharingan, Naruto formed his Clone handseal and acted.

* * *

"Sasuke, get back!" Kakashi said firmly.

Sakura clenched her fist. _I know Sasuke-kun is strong, but this guy's dangerous,_ she thought. _Please, Sasuke-kun, don't kill yourself._

She was immensely relieved when Sasuke only smirked and stepped back into formation. "Fine," he said. "I could take him."

Momochi looked at him, and began to laugh. "Oh, this is great!" he howled. "Not only are they Genin – they're blasted morons to boot! This keeps getting better and better!" He stared down at Sasuke, a malevolent gleam in his eyes. "Take me?" he said, and suddenly there was a horrible weight of fear over Sakura, and in the man's cold eyes, she could see a thousand hypothetical deaths for all of them. "Foolish boy. I am Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, master of the Silent Killing. No more than one Jounin in a hundred stands a chance against me. You are outmatched."

And suddenly he vanished, and then there he was, right behind Sasuke. "And in that knowledge, die," he whispered cruelly.

The massive sword flashed, sliced through the air, right through Sasuke's head…

"_No!_" Sakura shrieked.

…Or where his head had been. He was gone.

* * *

Zabuza blinked. "What…?"

Suddenly there was a quiet, mirthless laughter all about them. "You're the fool, Momochi," said Sasuke's voice quietly from all directions. "The Sharingan is powerful – more powerful than you."

Zabuza looked around wildly. The entire team had vanished. "What is this?" he said furiously. Then his eyes widened. _Genjutsu!_ he thought, gritting his teeth. But in that case, his body was in grave danger!

"Kai!" he shouted, breaking Chakra flow.

Nothing happened.

"It's useless," said the Uchiha's voice silkily. "I don't think you understand your predicament."

_This is no Genin's Genjutsu,_ Zabuza thought wildly. _And I won't be able to get out quickly. But how did a Genin learn this? It means either he's not a Genin, or…_

…_Or it's not a Genjutsu._

His eyes widened, then closed. He reached his chakra out of his body, into the word around him. The natural Chakra that was ever-present in reality was still there, which was something none but a top-level Jounin could replicate.

He grinned. "Hidden Mist Jutsu," he said, forming the handseals.

For a moment, the air about him thickened, and then, suddenly, there was a light gust of air. The fog vanished.

"Useless," said Sasuke again.

Zabuza's eyes widened. "Hidden Mist Jutsu!" he said, louder now.

Again the mist appeared. Again the wind blew it away. But this time, he felt in the wind with his limited Chakra-sensory capacity. In doing so, he learned two things.

First, the wind was charged with a Chakra so powerful it cowed even he, who had once stood proud alongside the walking Chakra tank that was Hoshigaki Kisame.

And second, it came from his right – the very direction in which Haku was hidden.

He leapt into action. _Damn it!_ he said to himself furiously. _They've got the kid!_

They had. And as he felt himself kicked to the earth, and a cold steel blade placed at his throat by a steady hand, he knew they had him, too.

But they hadn't.

"Momochi Zabuza," said a quiet, hissing voice. "We suggest you make no struggle. We have sealed us in a temporary Genjutsu, where time flows as we desire. We have all the time we need."

The blade was withdrawn. Zabuza leapt up to face his assailant, and saw steel. "Who the hell are you?" he growled at the man in the armor.

"We are… Dishonored," said the man as the blue lenses that saw for him spun, as though he were narrowing his eyes under them. "And we have a common enemy."

* * *

_He's coming your way,_ Sasuke told Kurama silently.

_Fine,_ said the Kyuubi, and Sasuke felt his mind tensing in readiness.

There was a moment of waiting.

_I thought you said he was coming,_ Kurama muttered caustically. _Are you quite certain you didn't mean, 'I'm a delusional moron'?_

_Quite sure,_ said Sasuke absently. Where the hell was that missing-nin?

He couldn't have escaped. From the instant Naruto's hidden Shadow Clones had used the Hiraishin to move the three of them out of the clearing via the seals he'd planted on each of them, Kakashi had been watching Zabuza carefully to prevent him running, not that they expected him to abandon Haku.

Kurama snorted. _He's not coming, boy. What are you…_

Sasuke waited for a moment, then asked, cautiously, _Kurama? Naruto?_

…_Uchiha, get over here,_ said the Kyuubi quietly.

Sasuke frowned. _Sakura?_

_Bring her; she's not safe alone,_ said the Fox tersely.

_What's up?_ Sasuke asked quietly.

_Get the hell over here and you'll see,_ Kurama murmured.

* * *

Kakashi leapt down into the clearing behind his foe. Naruto faced him on the other side. The missing-nin in the hunter-nin's mask they'd caught was unconscious beside him.

And between them was the man Kakashi had honestly hoped he wouldn't meet on this mission.

The Dishonored turned his head slightly; not quite facing Kakashi but showing that he knew he was there. "Hatake Kakashi," he said in a voice that was as cold as death, and while quiet it seemed to carry all about them. "You were the Teacher. You favored the Other, you lied to me, and you allowed the other to surpass me and slay the Beloved."

As the man spoke these cryptic words, Sasuke leapt down beside Kakashi. His eyes were narrowed with hate, and with something like horror. Kakashi could sense Sakura, too, in the trees behind them.

And if he could, so could the Dishonored.

"Uchiha Sasuke," said the armored man then. "You were the Other. You betrayed me and cast me out behind you. You slew and slew and hated yourself and others and me. You slew the Beloved."

"Kitsune," said Sasuke softly. "I betrayed you and all the others, but now you've betrayed yourself."

The man gave a mirthless laugh, distorted by the mask he wore. "I am you, Other," he said softly, turning to them. "My mind was forged in your image. You hate. I hate. We are one."

"No," said Sasuke quietly, and there was self-loathing in his voice. "You're what I was."

"One does not change so lightly," said the man. "When you stand before the Thief and can forgive him, then you will have changed. Until that day, we are but two faces of the same soul."

"You're wrong," said Sasuke softly.

The man laughed again but did not press the point. "Haruno Sakura," he said instead. "I see you where you hide. You were the Rejecter."

"And Naruto?" Sasuke interrupted blandly, and Kakashi wondered if he was trying to get the masked man to say something in particular.

The Dishonored didn't move for a moment, and then it turned back to the blond Jinchuuriki, who Kakashi couldn't see behind him. "Uzumaki Naruto," it said, and then it paused. "I… did not originally anticipate facing you."

"I have a habit of surprising people," said the boy, and his voice had a strange, deep overtone. Kakashi signaled to Sasuke and they fanned out, enclosing the Dishonored in a triangle.

And Kakashi saw that Naruto's eyes were red, with slits for pupils.

"I concede the point," said the Dishonored softly. "I will revel in your death. You… were the Fool." Kakashi saw him turn his head to Sasuke. "To me, he was nothing more. A Fool who shall die for his idiocy."

Sasuke didn't say another word, but Kakashi saw his eyes change. His pupils changed their shapes, extending into his black irises, growing red.

In a moment, there was a blood-red six-pointed star in each of his eyes, with a three-pointed shuriken residing within each.

Then Naruto formed a Ram seal, and Kakashi was swamped by an overload of Chakra all about. Naruto was exuding the stuff in tidal waves. Indeed, he was starting to glow golden.

The Dishonored laughed. "Peace," he said. "I will not battle you today. I have that which I sought."

And then he was gone, vanished into thin air.

And Kakashi realized that their missing-nin prisoner was too.

* * *

"There," Zabuza said as the Dishonored reappeared beside him. "Thank you; I suppose I owe you one."

"No, you don't," said the Dishonored flatly. "Our interests coincide – I want my vengeance, you want the Bridge Builder. It is logical that I should join with you."

Zabuza shrugged. "I suppose so," he said. "Still, I don't see how helping me save Haku helped you."

While the Dishonored was keeping the Konoha-nin's attention, Zabuza had utilized his intensive knowledge of stealth and his deadly speed to hastily spirit Haku's still form away from the boy guarding him. It was a mystery how the child had taken Haku out – the Ice-Style

"That is the flaw of missing-nin," said the man beside him softly. "They do not understand the power of teamwork. It is what makes the Dawn so superior."

"Dawn? Akatsuki?" Zabuza asked curiously. "I thought that group was destroyed in the last war."

"They are reborn," said the Dishonored quietly. "I was forged to serve them." He turned his mask directly to Zabuza. "Your sword-brother, Hoshigaki Kisame, is among them."

"Huh." Zabuza had never been particularly familiar with the shark-like member of the Seven Swordsmen, but he clearly remembered the man's deadly strength. If that was an indicator of the group's skill…

"Mind if I ally with your lot?" he asked casually. "If I know Kisame, we might still have similar interests."

The Dishonored didn't reply for a time, and then he shrugged. "I doubt you would find it to your liking," he said in his quiet voice. "For one thing, we have the very Mizukage you seek to overthrow in our pocket."

Zabuza whipped his head around to stare at the man. "The Akaktsuki controls the Fourth?" he spluttered in shock.

The armored man nodded gravely. "His days are numbered in any case – the Mist Village is already starting to realize that he is not quite his own man. I intend to suggest that we dispose of him on our own term when I return to the outpost. I will bring your opinion, if you like, and I will put your name forward for membership if the others agree."

"But not if they don't, right?" asked Zabuza. "I don't much like the idea of fighting to keep the Mizukage I tried to depose in power."

"Of course," said the Dishonored. "But for now, we have a mission. I have a plan."

* * *

The four Konoha Ninja were gathered together in the clearing where they'd faced the Dishonored, seated in a circle together. They had all wordlessly decided that they needed some rest before heading on.

"Respectfully, Sasuke," said Naruto after a time. "If you're at liberty to say… uh, what the hell was that?"

Sasuke, who had been looking down into his lap in silence until Naruto spoke to him, looked up at his teammate. Naruto saw that his eyes were slightly red, and that his lip was raw, as though he had been biting it, but there were no tears. Still anything that could affect the notoriously aloof Uchiha this much was dangerous.

"That was…" Sasuke said softly, and then he almost seemed to choke on the words. "That was a shade of a future," he said quietly. "A future neither of us want."

Naruto's eyes widened. _It's one of us, _he realized.

_Oh, it's a hell of a lot more than that, kit,_ grunted Kurama softly.

_Then what is it? _Naruto asked, exasperated.

_I may tell you later,_ said the Kyuubi quietly. _If I have to. But telling you now would complicate things. If you figure it out, let me know. Until then, stay ignorant and be glad of it._

…_I wouldn't like the truth? _Naruto asked softly.

_I don't even know how you'd react,_ said the Nine-Taliled Fox simply. _But no. You most certainly wouldn't like it._

* * *

**A/N: There; done. Hope you liked it. Please review; it really helps get me to write. Thanks!**


	31. Chapter 30: Recovery

**A/N: Here we are again. An update for you. I hope you enjoy it. I really don't have much to say. This is a chapter for talking. Lots of talking.**

* * *

_Chapter 30: Recovery_

* * *

Hinata bit her lip, hard. _I will not cry,_ she thought with feeble determination. _I will be strong. Naruto-kun can handle himself._

The five of them (Team Eight and Tazuna) were moving as fast as they could – which was not all that fast, given Tazuna's age and lack of Ninja training – in the direction of the village where Tazuna lived. They'd been moving for about ten minutes, but they still had twice again the distance they'd already traveled before they arrived.

And Tazuna, it seemed, could not keep up this pace. He suddenly stopped, breathing heavily. "I can't go on like this," he murmured hoarsely. "I'm not as young as I was…"

"Fine," said Kurenai, moving over to him. "I guess I'll have to carry you." She turned to the team. "We move in the trees." She lifted the old man up, piggy-back style, and allowed him to clasp his arms around her neck. "Up, now!"

And they were off.

They moved a little faster now, but Hinata was still worried. "How much longer until we reach the village, do you think?" she asked aloud, to no one in particular.

"Soon enough," said Shino, falling into a steady pace beside her. "But listen, Hinata-san. The village will not be a safe haven."

She blinked. "What?"

"You suffer from a common illusion among Genin," Shino explained quietly. "You fell that just because we are in a public place, we are safe. That is not the case. Shinobi mean safety, not civilians – and this land has no Shinobi."

Hinata bit her lower lip. "S-so we're not safe even at the village?"

"Ninja make their own safety," said Shino. "Once Team Seven arrives we will be safe enough, I feel. They are powerful."

"Y-yes," murmured Hinata, thinking of Naruto. "They are."

"But that is not the point," Shino said, interrupting her thoughts. "I am telling you this so that you will be on guard in the village. There is an S-Rank missing-nin in the vicinity, and he may have no qualms about attacking a populous village. You must be ready at any moment to leap into action."

Hinata nodded. "I'll try, Shino-kun."

"Good," said the Aburame, leaving her side and making for Kiba, likely to relay the same message.

She watched him, considering. The boy had always been enigmatic, and his strength had been a mystery even in the academy, but recently he seemed to have changed. It was hard to tell – Hinata had not known him well enough in the Academy to be certain – but that observation seemed to her one that no Genin would (or should) understand. It showed experience, which in a child of the Shinobi world amounted to little more than trauma.

_Shino-kun…_ she thought. _What happened to you?_

* * *

"Was that a Body Flicker, Naruto?" Kakashi asked quietly as they leapt through the woods. "The technique you used to get us out of the battle?"

The blond boy beside him didn't answer for a moment. Kakashi looked over at him, but it was impossible to identify his expression in the shadows of the trees.

"No," he said finally. "It wasn't."

Kakashi felt his right fist clench involuntarily. He forced it to relax before asking, "It was Hiraishin, wasn't it? The Flying Thunder God?"

"Yes," said Naruto flatly. Kakashi felt a hand slip into his kunai pouch, and pull out a blade he hadn't seen in years.

"I planted one of these on each of you," said Naruto quietly, handing the three-pronged kunai to Kakashi. "I thought it'd be wise to have an emergency means of assistance."

Kakashi was silent for a moment, not trusting himself to speak. "You were right," he eventually said, his voice carefully cool and detached. But he saw Naruto grin sadly at him and knew it was pointless.

He looked away from the boy, blinking as rapidly as he dared in the attempt to preserve what little dignity he still had before him. "You really are your father's son," he murmured at length.

"I know," said Naruto quietly. "I'd be dead otherwise."

They moved on in silence until they reached the village, and there was Team Eight, waiting for them.

Well, most of Team Eight. "Where's Kurenai?" Kakashi asked the three Genin quickly.

"She went ahead to escort Tazuna-san to his home," said Shino, nodding respectfully at each member of Team Seven in turn. "She left us here to guide you when you arrived."

"Good," said Kakashi, nodding. It made sense – they didn't want one of the teams wandering aimlessly when they could be useful, and while leaving Genin alone was normally unwise, in a civilian village it was at least a little safer than out in the wild. "Lead on, then."

* * *

"Well, Kurenai-san, would you like some tea?" asked the woman in the kitchen happily. She had introduced herself as Tsunami just minutes ago and had already thanked the young Jounin many times for helping her father home.

"Yes, thank you," said Kurenai, trying to match the civilian woman's cheer with her own slightly forced smile. She was sure, though, that the woman saw no hint of the mask – she was, after all, a civilian.

But Kurenai was worried. Her Genin were alone now, and Team Seven was occupied with Momochi for all she knew, or might have even been defeated (though she doubted it; Kakashi was, after all, more than capable himself).

"Do you think your team will be all right?" Tsunami asked eventually, bringing two cups of tea and sitting across from the Kunoichi. "You said they ran into a rogue Ninja. Will they need help?"

Kurenai shook her head immediately. "No," she said firmly. "Kakashi is one of our best Jounin. They'll be fine." _I hope. _"And my duty is to stay here and protect Tazuna-san regardless."

"Kurenai-sensei!" came Kiba's voice from outside.

The Genjutsu specialist stood and turned to the window. There was the Inuzuka, grinning and waving, and behind him were his two teammates and Team Seven. Kurenai barely suppressed a relieved sigh at the sight.

"Everything went well?" Kurenai asked quietly.

Kakashi nodded. "We need to talk," he told her. "Walk with me. You six," here he spoke to the Genin, "stay here. Naruto, Sasuke, keep the conversation calm. You know what to talk about."

"Sensei," Sasuke said, nodding at the masked Jounin.

Kurenai took a last sip of her tea (it really was good), thanked Tsunami, and left the house as the Genin entered. Kakashi beckoned for her to follow, and then turned onto the streets. She jogged up to him and soon fell into to step at his side.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"Momochi wasn't working alone," Kakashi said flatly. "He had two others working with him besides the two we captured. One assassin-type, disguised as a hunter-ANBU, and the Dishonored."

Kurenai clenched her fists. "You met the Dishonored?"

"Yes," said Kakashi with a sharp nod, and Kurenai suddenly noticed how tense his stance was, not at all like his usual overly-relaxed act. "He knew us, I think."

Kurenai frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

"He called me 'the Teacher', and had names like that for my whole team," said Kakashi. "Sasuke was the 'Other', Naruto was the 'Fool', and Sakura was the 'Rejecter'."

Kurenai shook her head. "What the hell? Naruto's name I can see, and yours is obvious, but the others? And why make up these titles anyway?"

"That's not what's important," said Kakashi tersely. "What does he know about us? And I was just an afterthought, Kurenai – the kids were his focus. He was focused on _my Genin_. Why? What does he know about them?"

"Maybe he just likes picking on kids?" Kurenai suggested. The thought was not humorous.

"No, that's not it." Kakashi was firm. "He had some kind of connection with my team, at least in his mind."

Kurenai bit her lip. "If he's going to target us actively, this mission's risk just doubled."

Kakashi nodded slowly. "I know."

"Kakashi, we have to go back to Konoha," she said after a time. "Our mission was to escort Tazuna on the understanding of the Dishonored's presence. He wasn't supposed to go after us. With that knowledge, this mission is almost certainly S-Rank."

"Easily S-Rank, yes," said Kakashi quietly. "But we can't leave."

She spun to face her colleague. "Kakashi, you know better than to get emotionally invested in a mission!" she said, quietly – they were, after all in the middle of a public street – but forcefully all the same. "No civilian of another nation is worth the life of even one Ninja of Konoha!"

He turned to her, and his eye was dull. "I do," he said. "Naruto doesn't."

"So?" she asked furiously, still carefully keeping her voice level. "Better traumatized than dead."

"Not for him, I'm afraid," said Kakashi quietly. "And in any case, we won't die."

"Kakashi, this is an S-Rank missing-nin capable of taking out a Suna ANBU unit." Kurenai wanted to scream at the man beside her – this recklessness was endangering her team, too – but she had to keep her voice down in the street. "No one can promise that."

Kakashi looked at her, his one visible eye appraising. "My team almost can," he said. "Kurenai, I wish I could tell you why that's the case, but they're not my secrets to give away. I'm asking you to trust me and my team."

She glared at him. "I can't do that, Kakashi," she said angrily. "Not without a damn good explanation."

"Then allow me to explain, Kurenai-sensei," said Shino from behind them.

The two Jounin turned to see the Aburame standing casually with his hands hidden in his jacket pockets.

"Shino," said Kakashi. "Do Naruto and Sasuke…?"

"They do not know that I am here," Shino replied to the unfinished question. "I fail to see why it concerns them. It is my Sensei, after all."

"And your Hokage," said Kakashi quietly. "Was this kind of lenience common?"

Kurenai frowned looking from one of the two to the other. "What?"

"No," said Shino. "But given the circumstances, those of us in our predicament must learn to trust one another's judgement." He cocked his head for a moment, as though considering. "Except Sasuke, perhaps." He amended. "I think we should trust him, but I doubt I will find myself able to do so in the near future."

Kakashi nodded. "Understandable," he agreed. "I'll leave this to you, then." He turned to Kurenai. "Shino will explain everything. I'll see you back at Tazuna-san's house." And then he was gone in a Body Flicker.

Shino came up beside her. "Kurenai-sensei," he said quietly. "What I am about to tell you will seem unbelievable, but I can promise you that every word is true." He spoke with a quiet assurance that few Genin possessed, but which the Aburame were famed for in any case. "I will avoid lies of omission whenever possible, but there may be points where it is unavoidable. For that I apologize."

"So you're in on whatever this is?" she asked her Genin quietly.

"Yes," said the insect-wielder flatly. "Allow me to explain."

And he did.

* * *

"Are you all right, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked the moment the two Jounin were both out the door.

"I'm fine," said Naruto, grinning. "Everyone's fine."

"Maybe a little shaken," said Sakura sheepishly. "Well," she amended quickly, eyeing the Uchiha beside her, "everyone except Sasuke-kun, of course." She knew it was a blatant lie – If anyone had come out of their encounter with the armored Ninja unafraid, it was Naruto, not Sasuke. But she knew the Uchiha didn't like to appear weak – and how would she look if she tried to explain the odd, warm feeling in her chest when she'd seen him, pale and ashen as a man confronted with death, but still standing and facing down the enemy? How could she explain the bursting fire she'd felt within her at seeing Sasuke look so human; so _vulnerable_? No; better to get into his good graces by trying not to see what he perceived as flaws in him.

"I'm sure N-Naruto-kun did well too!" retorted Hinata hotly, and Sakura blinked at her.

"He did," said Sasuke flatly.

"Ah, you know my performance beat your into the ground," Naruto grinned at his black-haired teammate.

Sasuke shook his head. "That's the wrong idea," he said, but did not elaborate.

"Well, what happened?" Kiba asked, grinning viciously. "I bet it was a pushover – that's why your team stayed and not ours!"

Sakura opened her mouth to correct the Inuzuka, but Naruto beat her to it.

"Oh, yeah, it was a piece of cake," said the blond, grinning. "For us, that is. You'd probably get your ass handed to you twice before you hit the ground."

"That's a singular you," Shino said from his place by the door. "In other words, he's speaking exclusively to you, Kiba. Am I right?"

"Well, obviously," said Naruto, laughing. "Of course I wouldn't insult Hinata-chan."

Shino cocked his head. "Or me?"

"Well, that's a difficult question to answer," said Naruto, rubbing the back of his head. Then, at the Aburame's lack of reaction, he added, "That was a joke, Shino."

"I know," said the bug-specialist dryly.

Suddenly Sakura felt Sasuke pluck at her sleeve. She turned to him. He beckoned for her to follow him.

As Naruto began an account of what had happened, Sasuke led her to the corner. Then he turned to face her.

"Naruto's going to tell them an altered story about what happened," he said quietly. "Stick to what he says. Don't bring up the Dishonored."

"Th-that's the armored Ninja?" Sakura stuttered, flustered by their close proximity. Sasuke's nose was barely four inches from hers.

"Yes," said Sasuke quietly. "We're not going to mention him."

"Why not?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"Well, for one thing, Kakashi didn't want us to." Sakura suddenly realized what their sensei had meant when he said _you know what to talk about_. "For another, it makes sense. We don't want to get Team Eight worried. The Dishonored is the Jounin's problem, and Tazuna is ours. We shouldn't get Team Eight's Genin involved in him."

"A-all right," she said. "If you say so…"

"They'll be distracted otherwise," said Sasuke. "We need them focused."

She nodded. "All right." The she blinked. "When did Naruto learn how to lie like that?"

Sasuke looked away. "When he started smiling all the time," he said softly.

She stared at her crush, eyes wide. "What…?"

"You'll get it one day," said Sasuke, his black eyes meeting her green ones again. "For your sake, I hope it isn't too soon." He turned as though to return to the group, then frowned and looked back at her. "Why did you say I wasn't shaken?" he asked quietly. "I was probably more worried than anyone else on the team."

She looked down to hide her burning face. "I thought you wouldn't like looking vulnerable," she said. "And…" she bit down hard on the words.

Sasuke didn't move. "That was true once," he said. "And what?"

"And how well looking vulnerable suits you," she whispered.

There was a silence between them. After a moment, Sakura risked glancing up to find Sasuke looking at her oddly. "I'm not sure I follow," he said. "But now's not the time. We'll talk later."

She nodded, relieved, and followed him back into the group.

* * *

**A/N: There. On time again. Hope you liked it. Please review.**


	32. Chapter 31: Reconvening

**A/N: Here. Not much to say in advance. Read on and enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 31: Reconvening_

* * *

"Wait, what?" Naruto said loudly.

It was dusk. The sun had just set over the ocean in the west, and the sky was a deep blue, just tinged with pink in the western horizon. All about them, the trees seemed fuzzy and indistinct in the twilight, as little more than silhouettes. The air was cool and moist, and smelled faintly of the salty sea.

The three comrades sat together on the grass, already damp with dew, reporting to one another the day's events. Shino had just explained that he had explained their past to Kurenai. Sasuke had simply nodded and was now fiddling with the stalks of grass around him, while Naruto was staring at the Aburame, stunned.

Sasuke thought his own reaction was easily the more warranted.

"Why did you tell her, Shino?" Naruto asked, lowering his voice, remembering that it was, after all, getting on to night. "And why didn't you talk to us about it?"

"Kakashi-sensei was having difficulty convincing Kurenai-sensei to stay here," said Shino quietly. "Had I held my tongue and returned to speak with you, I might have been too late to prevent Kurenai-sensei from telling my squad to pack their bags."

Naruto blinked. After a moment, he nodded. "Fair enough," he said. "But if that happened, we'd have agreed to tell her and she'd have withdrawn the order, right?"

"Perhaps," Shino agreed. "But then Hinata-san and Kiba-san would have wondered what I had told Kurenai-sensei. We do not need them curious. Hinata-san least of all." Here he nodded to Naruto. "It might be psychologically detrimental in ways we cannot predict, as well as compromising our secrets."

Naruto looked down with a grunt of assent. Sasuke watched him for a moment before sighing. "Maybe we should tell her," he said. "Do you think it'd help you to get it out in the open?" Sasuke was now out of his area of expertise – he distinctly remembered a time when his entire repertoire of conversational words and phrases was made up, largely, of various grunts. He did not often ask such personal and conversational questions.

"No!" said Naruto, rather quickly. He inhaled deeply. "No. I'm just worried that… well, that it'll be more _psychologically detrimental_, as Shino puts it, the longer we keep it from her… er, them."

Shino nodded sagely. "You are afraid that Hinata-san will be upset if you hide these things for a long time."

Naruto nodded. "Especially if I allow us to get closer while I'm keeping those secrets," he said quietly.

"Then tell her," said Sasuke flatly.

Naruto recoiled. "No!" he said forcefully. "I- I can't. Not yet. She'll… she'll be afraid of me."

"She will not," said Shino firmly.

"You can't know that," Naruto countered unhappily. "I… Look, all she knows about Kurama is that he's a beast that attacked the village twelve years ago. What do you think she'll think when she finds out that now he's one of my best friends?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Naruto, this is _Hinata_ we're talking about – she worships the ground you walking on!"

In hindsight, he really should have seen the punch to his face coming a mile off.

"Bad taste, Sasuke-san," said Shino calmly, though the Uchiha thought he detected a hint of amusement in the bug-user's voice. "Regardless of his tactless words, however, he brings up a point that must be considered. Hinata does idolize you to some degree at this point – that should give you the time you need to explain fully."

Naruto clenched his fists even harder than they already were after punching Sasuke. "No," he said flatly. "I won't take advantage of her like that. You're trying to fix Sakura, aren't you, Sasuke?"

He nodded mutely. _Not sure how well it's going,_ he added mentally, thinking of her words that afternoon. _How well vulnerability suits me, _he mused. _It doesn't seem like something she'd say as a fangirl – the mob was always obsessed with how cool and aloof I was. At least, I thought they were. _He resolved to consider the issue with Naruto's help. Another time, though – Sasuke had used up his welcome to bring up topics for tonight. All he could do now was apologize after this conversation was over.

"It's the same thing," said Naruto firmly. "I'm trying to make Hinata-chan see me first – the real me, not whatever monument she's made for me."

Sasuke shook his head. He knew he was asking for trouble, speaking his mind on this topic again so quickly, but this was important. "Naruto, that can't be done," he said softly.

Naruto glared at him. "Why not? You're having success with Sakura, aren't you?"

"You misunderstand, Naruto-san," said Shino. "Sasuke-san is saying that you cannot make Hinata-san see the real you and look away from the idol for the same reason that one cannot pour water out of an empty jug."

Naruto blinked.

Sasuke sighed. He nodded at Shino – the Aburame knew Hinata better and would be more able to explain.

The bug-user nodded back at him. "Naruto-san," he said quietly, "Hinata-san has had low self-esteem for years. Despite coming from a prosperous family, she has little happiness, and cannot understand how to gain it." Naruto looked down. "She is constantly reviled by her family for her supposed weakness, and it has left her with a deep-seated psychological association between herself and weakness. Essentially, she identifies herself with weakness as a defining characteristic."

"But she's not weak!" Naruto cried in anguish. Sasuke studied his face – he looked almost to be in pain. _Is that what romantic love is? _he wondered. _To feel the beloved's pain even more acutely than one's own? I'm not sure I'd want that._

"You know that," said Shino, "and I know that, and Sasuke-san and Shikamaru-senpai and Kurenai-sensei know that. But she does not – not yet." He leaned forward looking straight at Naruto. "And then she meets you. At first, she associates herself with you for the obvious reasons: both of you are commonly considered weak and both of you lose all your fights – remember, this is the Academy, so you were constantly losing in spars with Sasuke-san."

"Not my fault," Naruto grunted, grinning weakly at Sasuke. "Even if we were both traumatized little kids obsessing over getting stronger, you had money for better equipment and training."

"That is beside the point," Shino cut in before Sasuke could formulate a reply. "At first she felt herself connected to you over the common ground of weakness – to her it was true weakness, because she had been taught that what was commonly perceived was the truth. But then she saw your training regime."

Naruto frowned. "I've always wondered why that got her obsessing over me," he muttered. "What training regime? I mean, sure, I practiced throwing kunai and shuriken and trained a lot with Taijutsu, but since I was doing all the wrong things it really didn't help that much."

"She knew no more than you about what was correct," said Shino matter-of-factly. "All that mattered was that, despite coming, like her, from a place of weakness, you were pushing yourself to the limit to improve – pushing yourself with that same, single-minded determination that has served you well for years. Hinata-san saw that perseverance, and soon fell in love with it."

Naruto stared at Shino for a moment, his face slightly red. He looked slightly sad. "What does that change, though?" he asked at length. "I don't get it."

Shino just looked at him, and Sasuke realized that it fell to him to explain. "Hinata does look up to an idol she's built out of you," he said quietly. "But it's not like Ino and Sakura and the others are with me – they built a monument out of a mask. Hinata may not have seen all of your flaws, but she's still fallen in love with you. And it's the real you – not some idol she's made up."

Naruto stared at him for a moment, then looked away. "Thanks, guys," he said quietly after a time. "But I still won't take advantage of her. She has to know me first – my flaws included."

"In the end, it is your decision, Naruto-san," said Shino, standing. "I think our conversation is done – I've heard what you two did today."

Sasuke nodded, also rising. Naruto followed suit. "Then let's head back," said the blond boy, "before they all get worried."

"I'll go first," said Shino. "My excuse was different from yours, and it will seem odd if we return together." Shino had slipped away from the group on the grounds of a need to analyze and possibly assimilate insects in the region – he had done the analysis, if not the assimilation, but it had only taken a few minutes – the rest of the time, they had spoken. Naruto and Sasuke, on the other hand, had left the group on the grounds of a promised spar with one another.

Naruto nodded. "See you soon, then, Shino."

The Aburame nodded and was gone.

The two remaining stood together in silence for a time. The night grew chillier about them as the sky, already deepened as they spoke, turned black overhead. The stars were out now, twinkling coldly and impersonally on high, uncaring of the world over which they hung.

Sasuke was trying to come up with how to apologize for insulting Hinata when Naruto solved his problem for him. "Sorry," the Jinchuuriki said quietly.

Sasuke blinked at him. "What for?" he asked in surprise.

"For hitting you," Naruto said, turning to him. "I shouldn't have. We've done that enough to last a lifetime."

Sasuke shrugged wryly. "I deserved it," he said. "I'm… sorry for insulting Hinata."

"It's fine," said Naruto quietly, looking away.

"Sasuke watched him for a moment, and then continued, "Shino's right, you know. She's not like the fangirls."

Naruto didn't answer, but Sasuke saw the slight smile on his face.

They waited for a few minutes more and then, by unspoken agreement, began the jog back to Tazuna's home.

* * *

Kiba frowned to himself for a moment after Shino left. Naruto and Sasuke had already been gone for a few minutes. Apparently they were going to spar, and Shino had to study bugs in the Land of Waves or something like that.

Somehow, Kiba doubted both explanations.

It was getting late, and all five of the remaining team members present were each occupying themselves in their own manner. Sakura was talking to Tsunami about… something – probably something that, were Kiba listening in, would make him want to vacate the area as quickly as possible because of how feminine it was. Kurenai and Kakashi were talking together in low voices. Kurenai looked slightly worried. Kiba wondered what was the matter.

But Hinata was sitting alone off to the side, looking horribly lonely as she watched all the others.

Kiba himself was playing tug-of-war with Akamaru, but when he saw this he broke off the game and motioned for the Ninja Hound/Puppy to follow him. Akamaru yipped disappointedly and fell into step behind him, clamping the scrap of rope they'd been using in his jaws tightly.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Kiba said as he reached the Hyuuga heiress.

"Oh, h-hi, Kiba-kun," said Hinata with a slight dusting of pink to her cheeks. Kiba almost blushed himself – the tint to her cheeks suited her incredibly well.

"You look glum," he said, sitting down across from her. "Want to talk?"

"Oh!" she said, blinking rather rapidly. "Um, s-sure. What about?"

"Well," he said, leaning back on his hands. In that instant Akamaru yipped and leaped into his lap. He grinned at the small dog and petted him absently. "I was just thinking. Hasn't Shino been acting a bit… well, oddly?"

"I don't know," said Hinata, looking down slightly. "I d-didn't know him very well in the Academy."

"Nor did anyone, did they?" Kiba shrugged. "That's not what I mean. Have you noticed? He, Naruto and Sasuke have all been… I dunno. Something. They've been hanging out together, away from the rest of us."

"Y-you think they're together now?" Hinata asked, surprised. "But... why w-would they lie to us?"

Kiba shook his head. "I dunno about know," he said. "But remember that fight with the Chuunin on the road? Naruto and Sasuke worked together like… well, like Ninja – real Ninja. No fresh Genin works like that, do they?"

"Well, n-no," said Hinata, blushing a little more. "But…"

Kiba rolled his eyes. "But it's Sasuke?"

"N-no!" said Hinata quickly. "I was g-going to say that it w-was N-Naruto-kun."

Kiba stared at her in amazement. "The Dead Last?"

"D-don't call him that!" said Hinata with surprising force. "I… You haven't seen him train. He makes our training with Kurenai-sensei look like… like kids in the first-year Academy physicals." Kiba noticed that she had stopped stuttering, and a slight ache began to grow in his heart.

"You like him," he said. It wasn't a question.

"I…" she blushed redder than ever. "I-is it th-that obvious?"

"Well, when you're essentially admitting to stalking him while he trains, yeah, it kinda is." Kiba sighed, trying to expel the slight pain in his heart with the breath. "You know, if you really like him that much, you should just do something about it." _Might save be a bit of pain, _ he added privately to himself.

She shook her head violently. "N-no!" she said quickly. "I-I can't. He likes Sakura."

Kiba bit his lip. He privately wasn't so sure of that anymore – Naruto had not once used the suffix '-chan' when referring to Sakura, at least in his memory, in all of the past month or more, while he had more than once done so with Hinata.

But he couldn't say so – not when he himself would suffer for it.

"Then he's an idiot," he found himself saying. "He'd be stupid to reject you."

She stared at him, pale eyes wide. He grimaced, looking away. His face was getting uncomfortably warm.

"I mean… she's clearly obsessing over Sasuke," he said, quickly backtracking. "He should give up on her. He'd be stupid to reject anyone who actually likes him as much as you."

Hinata looked down. "O-oh. Of course," she said quietly.

_Dammit. _Kiba knew perfectly well that he had royally screwed up. "Look," he said, scooting away from her slightly, to give her space – this jostled Akamaru on his lap, who yipped in surprise and jumped off to snuggle up next to Hinata. "Can we just forget that this conversation ever happened?"

"S-sure," she said, clearly trying to stay cheerful.

_Dammit, dammit, dammit! _Kiba had officially screwed himself over – not to mention hurting Hinata. He knew he should apologize… he just couldn't find the words. "Well, back to Shino," he said, trying to lighten his voice and liven the conversation. "Do you really think he's been acting normal?"

"N-no," she said, sounding grateful for the change of subject. "You're right – he has b-been acting odd. I'm just n-not sure it's d-different from how he always has b-been. And I d-don't know if you should bring N-Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san into it."

'_-San? _Kiba was surprised – even Shino was a '-kun' to her. He wondered what it meant; other, of course, than the obvious – she wasn't a Sasuke fangirl. _Thank Kami,_ he added internally. "Well, they hated each other in the Academy," he said. "Not to mention that – _don't_ tell either of them I said this, by the way, please – they're actually kind of awesome now."

She almost smiled, and he realized how rarely she did so. "Even Naruto-kun?" she asked.

He grinned back. "Tell him, and I swear…"

She giggled slightly. "I won't."

"Good," he said. "But what do you think?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe you're right. But what do you think it means?"

"That's just it!" he exclaimed. "I don't know!"

"Don't know what?" It was Shino.

Kiba turned to face the Aburame behind him. "Shino," he said quickly. "We want to know. What's up with you and Naruto and Sasuke?"

Shino didn't move for a moment. Then he sat down. "It's a long story," he said flatly. "And one I cannot tell you."

"Why not?" Kiba asked angrily. "I know you're an independent guy, Shino, but we're your teammates!"

"You have no idea how aware I am of that fact." Shino's voice was deadly serious – almost grim. Kiba blinked at him – this was not the answer he'd expected.

After a moment, Shino sighed. "Kiba-san, I would tell you if I could," he said, sounding almost unhappy. "But the secrets I'm helping to keep aren't only mine. I can't tell you. Not until the others agree."

"N-Naruto-kun and S-Sasuke-san?" Hinat asked, sounding quite nervous by all of this intrigue. Kiba was just getting angry.

"Not exclusively, but yes," said Shino. "Listen to me, Hinata-san, Kiba-san, he said quietly. "I am more aware of my teammates than most Chuunin. And I promise you, I cherish that three-way bond. But this secret is about more than us. It's about more even than our entire village. And I cannot compromise it for myself or my team. You must trust me."

Kiba sighed. "You're just making me more curious," he grunted. "But what the hell." He slapped Shino on the shoulder. "I may not know you as well as I should," he said, "But I know you enough to know that you're not going to endanger us, whatever this big secret is. So I'll trust you."

"S-so will I, Shino-kun," said Hinata softly.

Shino looked at them each in turn. "I am… surprised," he said, though there was no hint of the emotion in his voice. "And also grateful. Thank you. I will not betray your trust."

"Good," grunted Kiba. "Cause if this hurts Hinata-chan, you're dead."

Shino looked at him for a moment – or Kiba assumed he was looking in his direction, since it was hard to tell with the goggles. "There's already a queue forming for that," said the Aburame dully. "Get in line."

* * *

**A/N: There! I hope you liked it! I'm not feeling well right now, which is actually why you got this chapter now. I should by rights be updating my other main story – MageWalker Alpha – but I'm not feeling up to arguing with my muse. So I wrote this. Please review it.**

**Anyway, I know it looks like a love triangle is evolving between Kiba and Hinata and Naruto, and I can't say yet that it isn't. But just know that in general I don't much like that kind of romantic subplot, so it'll probably make little difference for the most part, and be resolved with less fuss than those who like that kind of thing would prefer. Just fair warning.**

**Also, Team Eight is getting suspicious! Where will that lead, I wonder? Well, in the end, they'll probably figure out the truth. But before that. Who knows? I sure as hell don't!**

**Anyway, I hope I did well this time. Like I said, please review! It'll help me get better – both physically (happiness is medicine and all that) and in writing!**


	33. Chapter 32: Retraining

**A/N: Sorry about the WAIT. All caps. Blame SWTOR—that game is absolutely amazing. But I'm back, and I'm here to stay.**

**And I bring twists. LOTS of twists. Yes, some of what I once told you lot is now lies. But I think you'll like the outcome. If you hate, then feel free to tell be so—if you can do it in a civil and intelligent manner, isolating what the problem is. If not, then enjoy.**

* * *

_Chapter 31: Retraining_

* * *

The eight Ninja were congregated together in the dining room. Naruto was wolfing down breakfast – he'd woken up late – while the others chatted in groups. Sasuke and Shino were talking quietly in a corner. Naruto wondered what about. The rest of Team Eight was making small talk together quietly.

Sakura and Kakashi were right beside him. "So,, what are we doing today, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked conversationally. All the fear and doubt of the previous day had washed away from her overnight, and she seemed as fresh as ever.

Naruto almost smiled at it, but kept himself in check. _I was that young once,_ he thought, and a wave of something like sadness swept over him. _When did I grow so old?_

"Training," Kakashi was replying simply as his blond student came back to himself. "We have no idea when Zabuza and that Dishonored person will show up again, but we have to get as ready as we can."

Naruto nodded in agreement, wondering idly what he, Sasuke, and Shino would do with themselves—at this point, the tree-climbing exercise didn't even count as showing off.

After everyone had finished, Kakashi and Kurenai led the two teams out to the forest. Naruto knew where that was going. Fortunately, Kakashi and Kurenai had agreed that it would be mind-numbingly foolish to leave no one to guard Tazuna—not when the threat was so present. So they'd chosen the three most skilled Genin, and left them with the bridge builder under strict orders to contact their teachers at the first sign of trouble.

So Naruto, Sasuke, and Shino were left to guard their client. Alone.

"How convenient," mumbled Sasuke once their teammates were out of earshot. "One might almost think this was planned."

Naruto nodded sagely. "We owe Kakashi an _Icha Icha_ book for this," he said. "Next time Pervy Sage finishes one, we'll get him a signed copy."

Shino shrugged mutely, turning towards the bridge builder, who was sipping at some tea and listening intently to the news on the radio set before him.

Naruto blinked. "Hey, Tazuna-san!" he said, over the slightly static-ridden voice of the newscaster. "Ready to go to the bridge?"

"Quiet!" hissed the bridge builder, sending him a sharp glare as he cupped his hand over his ear. "Listening!"

Naruto blinked. _Why is it so important to hear about what's… oh. Oh. _Tazuna needed to know if Gato did anything out of the ordinary as soon as possible. The news was not ideal—Gato had enough money to throttle it and it had limits to what it could find out—but it was better than no information at all.

Naruto patted himself on the back mentally for figuring that out. _Couldn't have done that before I was made Hokage,_ he said to himself cheerfully. Yes, he had matured greatly since the last time he was this age. But not all of his growth was bad.

* * *

Sakura watched from above as Hinata tried patiently—if nervously—to assist Kiba in their tree-walking exercise, which the two young Kunoichi had already grasped quite well. Sakura herself was seated on a high branch.

She sighed, her shoulders drooping. She was lonely. Hinata had Kiba to keep her company, and Kakashi and Kurenai were conversing off to the side of the clearing as they watched their students, but who did she have to talk to?

Answer: no one.

She would even have welcomed Naruto's overeager manner now if it meant she could just talk to someone. But no, he was stronger than this, as were Shino and Sasuke-kun.

Her lips twitched into a rueful smile. Naruto, strong on Sasuke's level? She didn't believe for an instant that they were equal, but she couldn't know. They outstripped her by such a margin that she could not hope to measure them.

"Hey, Sakura," Kakashi called to her suddenly.

She looked down at him, blinking. "Yes, Kakashi-sensei?" she asked.

"Come down here," he said. "You've got nothing to do, so I might as well teach you something, right?"

She nodded and walked down the tree—slowly, so that she could milk the practice for all it was worth. Walking over to her teacher, she asked, "So what will you teach me?"

He shrugged. "At this point," he said, "You seem to be pretty much a blank slate. We can go into the basics of whatever you like: Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or even Taijutsu. Your choice. Kurenai says she thinks you'd like Genjutsu."

She blinked. _Genjutsu?_ she thought. _I never really thought about that._ She nodded, growing eager. "I'd like that! What Genjutsu will you teach me?"

Kakashi thought for a moment, and then nodded. "This one should be useful to you," he said. "And it's not too difficult. But first, a little bit of the basics. Explain to me how Genjutsu is similar to Ninjutsu."

She blinked. _This is like an academic textbook question! _she said to herself, surprised. _I thought Kakashi-sensei was more a learn-by-doing sort of teacher._

She shrugged off her astonishment, though, and answered, "Both Ganjutsu and Ninjutsu generally utilize Hand Seals and always manipulate one's Chakra for use against the enemy."

"That is actually only as general rule," corrected Kakashi, smiling at her with his eye. "There are many Genjutsu and Ninjutsu both which are used on oneself or one's allies to gain an advantage in combat. But for the purposes of this lesson, your definition satisfies. Now, contrast the two—what is the difference between Ninjutsu and Genjutsu?"

This time she wasn't so surprised—this question was expected. "Ninjutsu are the manipulation of Chakra to affect things physically, while Genjutsu are purely mental attacks."

"Again, there are exceptions," said Kakashi, surprising her. "There are attacks—both Ninjutsu and Genjutsu—that break those rules, and the actual definition is a bit more complex. But it will still do for now." He looked at her gravely. "This Genjutsu is standard in that it uses Hand Seals, attacks the mind and leaves the body unmarred, and, like most Genjutsu, requires eye contact. It is nonstandard in one way."

She cocked her head. "How is that?"

"Well, I'll tell you the jutsu's effects, and you try to figure it out," he said. "The techniques completely scrambles the target's visual input, making gerenral shapes distort slightly and making every color except black become painfully bright and shift in rather nauseating ways. Now, guess how it is nonstandard."

She blinked and thought about it for a time. At length, she shook her head in defeat. "I have no idea, Kakashi-sensei."

He shrugged. "There was a time when the Academy went into Chakra theory like this. I always wondered why—it's useless to anyone but a Genjutsu specialist or a Jounin sensei teaching one, and the Jounin can just pick it up. I'll explain; sit down."

They both lowered themselves onto the grass as he elaborated. "Most Genjutsu operate purely on the spiritual level. They focus on the transcendent aspect of the mind—that part of us from whch the spiritual part of Chakra is drawn. That is what they target, turning our very spiritual entities against ourselves."

She nodded slowly. The problem was starting to make sense. She decided to try a guess. "I think…" she began, going off of her only basic knowledge of human nervous systems, "I think the jutsu targets the physical impulses in our brains, scrambling nerve transmissions."

"Precisely," said Kakashi, sounding proud. "I knew you'd get it! This technique is almost a Lightning-Style jutsu, except for one point—you never actively change your Chakra Nature. Instead, the Chakra forms channels inside the retina and brain for the existing electricity to travel along."

She blinked a few times. "Isn't that very difficult?"

He nodded. "This is where the Hand Seals come in," he said. "Hand Seals are a may to channel Chakra along predetermined channels and systems—setting up an autopilot, if you will. This jutsu is one that's been studied for decades with regards to his Hand Seal patterns—plural—because it forms a perfect exercise." He pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to her. "Now, on that sheet I've written four separate Hand Seal patterns, each shorter than the last. They all perform that jutsu. The first takes the least chakra control, the fourth takes the most. If the first one, you'll just have to nudge your Chakra in the right direction, but in the last…"

"I'll have to control it myself completely?" she asked in amazement. _Motion on that kind of cellular scale is surely too small for any human, isn't it?_

"Of course not," said Kakashi. "That's if you used no hand signs at all, and only a true Genjutsu master could do that—and trust me, those are the rarest kind of Ninja; of all. I don't think there's even one alive right now. But it _is _about ten times harder than the first one, and that first one is harder than the tree-climbing exercise."

Sakura looked at the page. The first sequence was a full twenty hand signs long—the fourth was only fourteen. "How will I practice this?" she asked.

"On me, of course," he said, chuckling. "The technique is called Niji no Jutsu. Try it—I'll be fine."

The quickly memorized the hand sequence, performed it, and, meeting her teacher's sole visible eye, she cried, "Niji no Jutsu!"

Nothing at all happened.

Kakashi laughed at her surprise. "I told you, Sakura, it's harder than the tree-climbing exercise," he said. "But unlike climbing trees, you haven't got the obvious indicator of falling down to tell you where you screwed up. You have to go slowly and feel the Chakra moving through each step."

She nodded, brow furrowing grinning despite herself. How she loved an academic exercise!

She certainly wasn't bored anymore.

* * *

Gaara looked around at the other seven men and women around him. He had never known most of them before, but he still felt the kinship that was instinctive to their kind.

He had not expected such a meeting until the messengers had come from Kiri asking his father if he could attend. Certainly, he had found it odd that his tenant shared his recollection, but he had thought it a side effect of his own travel.

He was right, but not as he had expected.

Killer B looked around the table, blinking. "Hey, we're short one, yo!" he said, in his characteristic rhythm. "Where is that Naruto?"

Yagura, the Sanbi-Jinchuurki who led the Hidden Mist, nodded. "I wish I could have contacted him," said the Mizukage quietly. "Unfortunately, I cannot exactly go to Konoha and ask Sarutobi-sama if I can borrow his Jinchuuriki. The Leaf does not much like the Mist at the moment."

Gaara nodded. "Understandable," he said. "Especially given Sarutobi-sama's apparent love for him."

Yagura nodded in his typical calm. "Precisely," he agreed. "But it could not be risked in any case—Gaara-san tells me that Uchiha Sasuke is in Konoha in much the position of the Bijuu. He remembers. If we do not know his motives, we cannot afford to inform him of our presence."

There was unanimous agreement to this. None but Gaara remembered the future, at least among the humans, but through the demons they held all knew of Uchiha Sasuke, the traitor.

"Will he recognize any of us if we go to the Chuunin Exams?" Nii Yugito, B's comrade of the Nibi, wondered aloud. "Or if he did, would he assume that he had simply not noticed us in his previous Exam?"

"It might just work for Yugito," laughed B, "But I'd stick out like a sore big toe!"

Gaara introduced his forehead to his palm with an audible _smack_. "Sore thumb," he corrected quietly. "Please, B, if you must rhyme, make sure the rhymes _work_."

B shrugged. "The big toe is a man's foot's thumb," he said. "Didn't think the Kazekage'd be so dumb!"

Gaara twitched. "My seal is a bit weak, B," he said quietly. "Please don't get me worked up; I might go into a blood-rage."

"I can see about getting a Kiri seal-master to fix that seal," said the Mizukage in genuine concern—the man had many faults, but he cared fiercely for his fellow Jinchuuriki.

Gaara shook his head. "It's too large a change in me for such a delicate position," he said. "My father wouldn't like it, and that might interfere with our plans for the Chuunin Exams."

"What's with the fixation on the Chuunin Exams, anyway?" asked Fuu, a Takigakure ninja who bore the Nanabi. "What happened then?"

Gaara almost laughed. "Everything, Fuu-san," he said quietly, putting his head in his hands before looking up at her. "When I think on it, there is really very little that could not have been averted if something had just been done about the Chuunin Exams."

"But it all revolves around that blasted Uchiha," said Gyuuki's disembodied voice from his positiong within B's spirit. "And he's already gone through it. What will it change?"

"The Exams are still a point where many of our potential enemies and allies will congregate," said Utakata, a Ninja in Yagura's employ who carried the Rokubi. "If the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki and the Uchiha have not killed one another by that time, they will both be there. Orochimaru will be present, as will Yakushi Kabuto, who Gaara-san says has inside information on our real enemies—the Akatsuki."

"You say something interesting," said Gaara, nodding at Utakata. "_If_ they haven't killed one another." Now, we would know if either died in Konoha—the news would have reached every village in mere hours. But if my information is accurate, and it generally is, they are now both out of the village on a mission."

"Then what are we waiting for?" said the Yonbi-carrying Iwa Shinobi, Roushi, as he stood up quickly. "We have to stop them!"

"Peace, Roushi," said the man's comrade of the Gobi, Han. "We need a plan first. If this Uchiha is truly as dangerous as he is said to be, brute force will be insufficient from any one of us, and for two it would be a problem—two Jinchuuriki against one Konoha Genin, who is last of a prestigious clan, would be a serious political faux pas."

"Even one would be," said Gaara quietly. "Konoha loves their Uchiha. No, we need incontrovertible proof that Naruto-san was threatened before we can strike at Sasuke."

"So one or more of us goes there and watches him," said Yugito, nodding. "I could do it."

"No," said Yagura, shaking his head. "Not alone, at least. One of our more experienced number must lead a squad of at least two."

"I have something to say, yo," interjected B suddenly. "I think Gaara should be the one to go. He, Shukaku and Gyuki are the only ones who've fought Uchiha, and only they won."

Yugito glared at B. "But he's no older than I am!" she protested, looking at Yagura. "Why should he go when I can't?"

"Who said anything about that?" Gaara said, raising an eyebrow at her. "You're coming with me."

There was a moment of silence as every Jinchuuriki looked at him. He sighed. "The Bijuu are each representative of an animal," he said quietly. "Yugito-san carries the Nibi. Cats are notorious for their stealth. Is she inadequate in that department?" he asked B, almost sardonically.

B grinned. "No sir; not at all," he laughed. "She's silent as the sky is tall!"

Yugito looked down at the praise.

Gaara nodded. "I expected that." He looked around. "I doubt I need to explain this to you, Yagura-sama," he said with a deferential nod at the Mizukage, "but here are my reasons. Konoha is at odds with every village save Suna at this point. But that is not an equal dislike across the board. Iwa hates Konoha, and so Konoha deeply mistrusts Iwa. Kiri Konoha considers to be, at this point, little more than a tribe of bloodthirsty barbarians—meaning no offense, of course," he added with another nod to Yagura. The Sanbi-Jinchuuriki just shrugged apathetically. "Taki is, while too small to be a concern, still exactly that—small enough that my being seen by its known Jinchuuriki would be far too strange for Konoha's liking. What if Taki were acting as a proxy in negotiations with a larger village? That is what they'd think—it's a common political stratagem. But Kumo? Konoha doesn't like Kumo in the slightest, but their relationship isn't so marred by either tragedy or… bigotry, if you will."

Yagura nodded. "So it is wise to send a Kumo Shinobi with you—it is less suspicious than the alternatives."

"Precisely," Garra said in affirmation. "But there is another constraint. Uchiha knows B—or knows of him—well enough to know of his relationship with Naruto-san. If both he and I made an unscheduled appearance together, so close to Naruto-san's position? It would be a foolish risk."

"So I'm out for today?" B asked. At Gaara's nod, he clapped Yugito on the shoulder. "Tell me all about it, okay?"

Yugito nodded, giving his a deadpan look. "Your rap could use work, B-sama," she said.

He just shrugged.

"So that's it?" said Utakata. "Gaara-san and Yugito-san will go to watch over Naruto-san and Uchiha to prevent any unpleasant surprises?"

"Yes," said Gaara, standing. "Yagura-sama, you told my father to expect me back… when?"

"In ten days more," said the Kage crisply. "I thought it best to give us ample time."

"A very wise choice, Mizukage-sama," said Gaara. "Naruto is currently in the Land of Waves. If we travel light and quick, Yugito and I should arrive in three days."

Yugit nodded standing up as well. She watched him warily. "Don't you think of trying anything on this trip," she warned. "Kumo won't stand for it."

Gaara sighed. _Still the old obsession with village boundaries,_ he mused. _There should be no borders between us. We're in much the same boat wherever we are, aren't we?_

"Don't worry," he said aloud. "Far too much is at stake for me to jeopardize it."

* * *

**A/N: Yeah. I went there. I know I just contradicted things I've said many times, such as "No more good guys came back" and such, but whatever. See, the way I saw it was, "Why is Kurama back? It's not like he stabbed himself in a ritual circle." At first that was just going to be a side effect of Naruto's going back. But then someone said, "Can you bring Bee back?" And I'm like, "**_**Can**_** I?"**

**Well, I can. And I just did. The idea is that the Bijuu are what I call universal constants—unchanging aspects of the natural world. Therefore they are unaffected by twists in the timeline. So they all came back and told their Jinchuuriki about the future they couldn't remember. Yagura, now knowing about it, broke free of Tobi's Genjutsu and is now pretending to still be under it. So that's that.**

**This is something you may not have thought to ask about: Why is Kakashi suddenly teaching Sakura Gejutsu, unlike last time? Well, that has multiple answers. First, he now knows that things are going to get bad fast, so he wants to teach her something to protect herself. Second, she's not only the weak link, but she's the only one of his team he can really teach anything to now. Third, she had nothing to do, unlike last time where she was helping Naruto or watching Tazuna. And finally, Kurenai told him to teach her Genjutsu. So that's why.**

**No a lot happened with our heroes this time—more just setup for the coming battle. But that battle is coming soon. I hope you enjoyed this anyway.**


	34. Chapter 33: Reminding

**A/N: Finishing this late at night, but if I didn't get this out today, it'd be another two weeks. So here. I seriously hope you enjoy it. We're finally into the thick of it! The battle at the bridge begins here! Serious action for the next couple chapters. And this is ALL ONE SCENE. Pretty impressive, even if it is a short chapter. All Sasuke's POV, with Sharingan action and everything. It's fun. I hope you like it!**

* * *

_Chapter 33: Reminding_

* * *

Sasuke leaned back on the low wall, propped up on his elbows, his eyes closed. Anyone who didn't know him might have thought he seemed bored, but it was rather the reverse—he was trying to block out the immediate noise and feel of the bridge workers around him and of Naruto, Shino, and Sakura—who had learned a Genjutsu, it seemed, and been sent to guard with them—and focus his attentions outward. He could hear no sign of any threat nearby, but that was no certain guarantee. It wouldn't be especially difficult to sneak up on them.

"Hey, Sasuke, stop looking so glum!" Naruto said from the other side of the bridge. "It's like a break!"

Sasuke frowned at his teammate—surely Naruto was aware that he was just on lookout. Naruto nodded imperceptibly and crossed his fingers in the Hand Seal he used for the Shadow Clone Jutsu so quickly that even Sasuke almost didn't see it.

_Ah,_ Sasuke thought. _He's running recon, then._ The Uchiha slowly allowed himself to relax. Naruto would give him fair warning.

"Just trying to rest," he said casually. "Have to keep up my strength."

"Oh?" Naruto teased. "Did Sasuke-chan have trouble sleeping?"

"No," Sasuke grunted. "But I'm going to have a rough night tonight."

"Why?" Sakura asked concernedly.

He shrugged. "I'm going to be up late knocking the stuffing out of the idiot."

"Bastard."

The four of them stood in companionable silence for a time. Then Naruto spoke again.

"I'm bored," he said matter-of-factly.

"Short attention span, much?" Sasuke muttered dryly. Sakura giggled, but he wondered if it was because it had been funny or because he'd said it.

"Hey, I can focus on something for quite a long time!" said Naruto, glaring at him. "Attention span isn't the issue! There's just nothing to focus _on_!"

Sasuke shrugged. "Should I get you a babysitter or playmate?"

He got a poke on the forehead for his trouble, but it didn't bother him as much as it once might. "You're a bastard, Sasuke," grunted Naruto sourly.

"You've mentioned," Sasuke nodded sagely. "Oddly enough, though, no one else ever does."

"You're a bastard," Shino said with perfect poise.

Sasuke turned his eyes skyward. "Really Shino?"

"I am quite within my rights," said Shino without inflection. "It is beyond true, if…"

"Shino!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing off to the distance. "Look! An interruption!"

Sasuke nodded gratefully at Naruto. He couldn't expect Shino to forget all he'd ever done, and he had put it behind him—which was enough—but it didn't change how the words had wounded him.

Sakura, however, didn't understand Naruto's motives, and hit him. "You little…!" she muttered. "Don't be a jerk just because you're bored!"

The Uchiha winced on his friend's behalf, but said nothing—what, after all, could he say?

"Sakura-chaan…" Naruto whined. "Don't hit me! I thought our relationship was mutual—no abuse!"

Sakura froze. Sasuke put his head in his hands, but in that safe darkness, he hid a smile. _Naruto, you idiot,_ he thought fondly.

But Sakura didn't hit the blond. She took three deep breaths and turned away, leaning back on the railing. "Guess I need to get used to this, if I'm going to be on your team," she muttered. "Don't be stupid if you can avoid it, Naruto."

Sasuke looked over at the girl, surprised. She was looking up towards the heavens, breathing deeply.

Naruto leapt up on the railing beside his raven-haired teammate and studied their fellow as well. "You've grown, Sakura-chan," he said quietly.

Both the girl and Sasuke looked over at him in surprise, though hers was greater. His eyes no longer held the playful twinkle of a moment before but now seemed a deeper blue, and though he was sure Sakura couldn't see it, Sasuke recognized something like pride or happiness in them. Naruto was glad that Sakura was becoming the teammate he remembered once again.

Suddenly the blue eyes widened and shifted again, becoming a blaze of cerulean fire. "Sakura, go," he ordered flatly. "Tell Kakashi-sensei that they're here."

Sasuke's eyes widened and, straining his ears, he heard the splashes of Ninja's feet on water—behind him. He whirled as Sakura began to run. "Shino, go with her," he ordered.

The Aburame didn't even bother to reply—Sasuke heard his retreating footsteps behind him.

"Civilians!" Naruto called to all of the building crew. "The enemy's shown up. Go—we'll contact you when it's safe."

"Tazuna!" Sasuke called over the sound of panicked workers. "You stay here—we can't have them following you to town and bypassing us!"

Tazuna nodded and fell into place behind the two of them. The bridge was almost empty…

"Wind Style:" said the cold voice of the Dishonored, "Great Breakthrough."

Sasuke had half expected the entire bridge to be thrown—instead, all of the civilians still on it flew off as though thrown by a great hand, landing in the dust behind the Konoha Ninja. Naruto turned, looking at them in surprise, but Sasuke nudged him—there, at the very point where the bridge ended, three figures had landed on the stones.

The Dishonored's skull-like mask faced directly towards Naruto, and despite the distance, Sasuke knew the lenses and the eyes behind them were focused directly on the Uzumaki.

For a moment there was perfect silence. Then the Dishonored moved.

He drew out one of his many sealing scrolls and pulled out of it a number of knives. Sasuke's heart sank—he would know those three-pronged blades anywhere. _I'd hoped he wouldn't have any…_ he thought grimly. _Wishful thinking, I suppose._

The kunai were thrown all over the bridge, embedded in the stone all around them. Naruto stared at Sasuke in alarm, but there was not time to speak.

In less than an instant, the armored Shinobi was to Sasuke's right. Sasuke blinked—his Eternal Mangekyo whirled—there was the lightning fast action of drawing two kunai. The blade unsheathed from the scrolls entwined around his enemy's wrists—Sasuke had expected that, he'd known the design—he blocked…

The Dishonored had teleported away. He stood by Zabuza again, so perfectly poised that Sasuke almost thought he had imagined the moment of lightning-fast combat. _Only one strike,_ he thought. _He can teleport all over the battlefield swinging undetectable single strikes. __**That**__ is the power of the Hiraishin._

Naruto could do that too, though, as he demonstrated by performing a quick teleport to one of the Dishonored's kunai and back. "They're the same seal," he whispered o Sasuke upon returning. Sasuke nodded.

There was silence again. Then Zabuza spoke. "Haku, you know what to do."

The white-masked Ninja raised his arms, and mirrors of ice formed all around them, risindg from the sea below. Haku stepped back into one and was all around them.

"You don't have the Chakra to sustain that long," Sasuke said, and he was fairly confident it was true.

Naruto shrugged. "They may not have to," he said grimly.

Sasuke grunted and began forming Hand Seals. He had a plan.

Sure enough, as he formed the second seal, a senbon flew at his neck—his Mangekyo Sharingan csaw it with ease. He snatched it out of the air and completed the jutsu. His eyes snapped on to the rapidly-moving form of the Ice Style user in the air over the bridge as he brought his hand—and the senbon in it—to his lips. "Fire Style:" he said quietly. "Flaming Senbon."

The needle flew at incedible speeds and intercepted Haku in mid-leap—Sasuke had compensated for his motion. The ice Ninja dropped to the bridge, alive but in pain—Sasuke had hit him in a nerve cluster in his lower back, and the fire had begun to burn his clothes.

Zabuza yanked out the senbon and patted the fire dry. "Dammit," he muttered—Sasuke's trained ears picked it up, even over that distance. "Didn't expect… Dishonored?"

Sasuke's left eye widened—his right closed. The Dishonored had vanished in the moments he'd been focused elsewhere.

He blinked. So had Naruto.

He squinted. _Oh,_ he thought, shocked.

They had not vanished—they were in a fantastic game of cat and mouse across the great Hiraishin board that the bridge had become—never in one place long enough for any normal man to see. Even the Eternal Mangekyo barely picked it up. They would appear, already striking, and just as they blocked one another, vanish and appear elsewhere. It was like a dance, each Ninja able to predict the other's movements fairly well and able to make up for mistakes with the speed of Hiraishin.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called. "Can you keep him busy?"

The blond's "Yes!" had an odd echo to it, born of the fact that it was spoken from a hundred different places at slightly different times over the course of that one moment, but Sasuke understood it well enough.

He turned his attention to Zabuza. He felt the blood begin dripping from behind the closed lid of his right eye. The fool was still wondering where his ally was, Sasuke noticed amusedly.

The eye opened. "Amaterasu.," Sasuke said flatly. The black fire spewed forth across the battlefield. Sasuke's left eye tightened. "Blaze Release," he murmured. The flame split and formed a ring around the startled Kiri Shinobi.

_I should kill him,_ Sasuke thought, watching the man as he suddenly looked at him in shock. _I won't get another opening this easily._

His shoulders slumped. _Naruto wouldn't forgive me, though. _Instead, he fragmented the fire, sending parts into each of the ice mirrors all around them. They burned and melted just like anything else in the grips of the technique that was Itachi's and Sasuke's signature.

"Don't take your eyes off your enemy, moron," called Sasuke to the Kiri Jounin.

"What are you _doing_, kid?" Tazuna asked in fright.

"Trust me," Sasuke whispered.

Zabuza glared at him. "Okay, little Genin," he said, spitting with fury. "You asked for it. Last time I underestimated you. Not this time."

Kubikiriboucho was out in an instant and Zabuza was moving with a speed that Tazuna found quite impressive, judging by his gasp. Sasuke knew better—Zabuza was no faster than he had to be—he was a heavy-hitter, primarily.

Sasuke, on the other hand, used speed as another weapon. He wasn't as fast as he had been, though—he couldn't have matched Lee, by any means—but he was, thought not faster than Zabuza, faster than Zabuza expected.

That would have to be enough.

Sasuke drew two kunai out again and leapt to his left, channeling Chakra to his feet to stick to the railing of the bridge. Timed perfectly, he leapt back, arms forward, kunai pointed. His outstretched limbs slipped through the hole in Kubikiriboucho—he flipped the kunai outward, bent at the wait to plant his feet in the earth and spun.

Kubikiriboucho was torn out of Zabuza's hands andflew skyward as Sasuke released it. In an instant he had translated his spin ninety degrees and was stabbing towards Zabuza's side with his twin blades.

The former Kiri-nin leapt away in shock. Sasuke tossed the two kunai after him, caught the falling sword, and swung it into a classic kenjutsu stance all in one fluid motion. He channeled his immense stores of Yin Chakra into his arms in order to carry the sword—better, he noted with slight pride—than Suigetsu had ever managed.

He and Zabuza glared at each other across the field of Hiraishin knives. The sounds of Naruto and the Dishonored colliding again and again echoed all around them. Then Sasuke's Sharingan saw Zabuza channel his Chakra into a quick jutsu.

"Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!" the former Mist Ninja said forcefully, releasing the energy outward.

Sasuke's Sharingan went haywire. The mist being formed and maintained by Zabuza's eyes, it appeared to his Doujutsu to be an extension of the man's Chakra system. To the hyper-sensitive Eternal Mangekyo, it was rather traumatic to be breathing in parts of the enemy's Chakra.

Sasuke sighed, releasing the Sharingan. For now, at least, it would be easier to fight without it.

* * *

**A/N: I can't go any further, because it's getting too late. Next time: Kakashi and the others get back into the thick of things, and the battle gets more connected—less two separate battles, more one big one. Not sure if the battle will end next time, though.**

**Anyway, this arc is probably going to be quite a bit shorter than the last one, but I think it, too, will end with a flashback. Not sure of what yet—got a couple ideas, but we'll see.**

**Hope you enjoyed, and do me a favor by dropping a review on the way out, please!**


	35. Chapter 34: Recursion

**A/N: Well, I got it done. It was rather difficult. I got writer's block at about 1700 words.**

**Anyway, please don't yell at me about the Dishonored being OP. Once you all know about him what I know, he won't seem any more OP than he should be. Trust me on that one.**

* * *

Chapter 34: Recursion

* * *

"This is useless," muttered the armored Shinobi—Naruto heard the words in the intermittent moments as they transmitted with unrivaled speed across the field repeatedly. "Hiraishin is too fast."

Then it was over, and Naruto was standing next to Sasuke in front of Tazuna. The mist was thick around them. Sasuke had seemingly disarmed Zabuza—the massive broadsword was held out before him in a standard kenjutsu defensive-neutral stance.

"Nice to see you're done Yellow Flashing for the crowds," grunted Sasuke by way of greeting.

Naruto chuckled. "You know me too well, Sasuke. Plan?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Can't use the Sharingan in this mist. Senjutsu?"

Naruto nodded. "Cover me," he said as he lowered himself into a meditative full-lotus position. He breather deeply—in, out, in, and repeat. The perfect stillness, even in the thick of combat, was calming in a way—which was exactly what made Sage Mode work.

He opened his eyes, and saw Chakra. Zabuza's Chakra was thick in the surrounding mist, but Sage Mode saw things in more depth than the Sharingan on that level, though the Sharingan's other abilities were not inconsiderable. At any rate, despite the shrouding mist, Naruto saw two shapes off in the mist—he recognized the water of Zabuza and the ice of Haku.

_Wait a moment…_ he thought for an instant. _Where's—_

The Dishonored was right behind Tazuna, swinging his blade, and Naruto _still could not feel _his Chakra. It was unnerving.

With a battle cry, Naruto leapt into action. Flipping onto his hands and spinning he kicked backward with all his strength. The strike connected with the Dishonored's chestplate, flinging him back a ways—but before the man had even hit the ground, he had used Hiraishin. Now he was striking a powerful blow at Sasuke—the Uchiha only just parried it with Kubikiriboucho—and then he was gone again.

The mist remained. Naruto glared into it. "That's one speedy bastard," he muttered.

Sasuke nodded, looking grim. "Can you lift the mist?"

Naruto laughed harshly, already forming hand seals. "Wind Style:" he roared. "Great Breakthrough!"

The rush of air blew the mist back and off the bridge. Zabuza, Haku, their armored ally became clearly visible. It was only for a moment—then Zabuza's mist began to creep in again.

_Oh, no you don't…_ Naruto thought viciously. With a quick Hiraishin he was beside Zabuza and kicking him into the wall at the side of the bridge. This effectively broke his concentration—the fog immediately lifted.

Naruto quickly whirled to parry a strike at his side from the Dishonored's blades, which emerged again from the scrolls at his wrists. He used the impact to push himself away from his foes, back towards Sasuke—then, with another Hiraishin, he was on their other side, still flying in that same direction.

He spun in the air and plowed into the armored Ninja, kunai out, intent on prying off the mask and taking out the Shinobi beneath, but the armored man was having none of it. The man dropped his legs out from under them and performed an effective aileron roll so that the two landed with the crushing weight of the armor and the Shinobi within was all on Naruto.

"Momochi, go intercept the Uchiha," the Dishonored ordered coldly—Naruto didn't see whether the former Kiri-nin obeyed, being otherwise occupied with the weight atop him.

There was a momentary grapple, and then the Dishonored had pinned Naruto's hands and feet under him—and away from his Chakra core, making an escape by Hiraishin impossible. "There," hissed the skull-like mask with a chilling laugh. "Effectively neutralized."

_Idiot,_ said Kurama's voice in Naruto's mind. In the next moment, the fox had lashed out with pure Chakra at the foe above them. The red-gold energy flowed out of Naruto's body and pushed the enemy Ninja off immediately. Naruto used the opportunity to leap up and settle into a combat stance, eyeing his foe warily.

But the damage was already done. Even as Kurama tried to retract the arm of Chakra he'd created, the Dishonored grasped at it. The metal fingers made contact and pulled.

In the opened cage where he resided, Kurama began to scream.

Naruto's eyes grew wide with shock and horror. The Dishonored was pulling Kurama's Chakra away from them. _Cut it off!_ He screamed inward to the Bijuu. _Cut off the tail—it'll grow back!_

Kurama wasted no time. In an instant, the mass of Chakra—a full ninth of Kurama's available energy, was emerging from Naruto and entering the Kyuubi-shaped red emblem on the Dishonored's chestplate.

Once the red energy had all been absorbed, the Dishonored, slumped for a moment, and then he laughed—the sound was cold and cruel. "Contingency Kitsune has begun to fulfill his mission," he whispered. He looked into Naruto's eyes, and the blue lenses spun. "You cannot defeat me without the Fox's aid, Fool," he said. "But if you use his strength, it becomes my own."

"You have only one tail's worth of Chakra," Naruto hissed furiously. Kurama had become oddly silent—the boy feared for his friend. "It won't regenerate."

"No," said the Dishonored, "But it doesn't need to."

In a momentary Hiraishin, the armored man was mere inches from Naruto. His hand grasped at the boy's stomach, where the remains of Kurama's seal—and the connection his Chakra had to the outside—resided. Naruto was ready, though. He Hiraishined away, back to be in front of Tazuna.

Sasuke was near the center of the bridge, meeting Zabuza with a kunai with Kubikiriboucho. The Dishonored was farther back, near the end of the bridge.

"Are you all right, Naruto?" an urgent voice said from a pace behind him and to the left. "What happened?"

Naruto whirled to meet Kakashi's gaze. _How did I not notice them?_ He berated himself. _I have Sage Mode active! _He was too single-minded—that was not good for senjutsu. He needed to keep an open mind.

"I'm fine," he said quickly. Everyone was here—both Teams 7 and 8—and that actually somewhat worried him. "Sasuke!" he called. "Fall back!"

Sasuke obeyed instantly. He struck one last powerful blow at Zabuza, which met the twin kunai the missing-nin was using. Using that force, he catapulted himself backwards towards the other Konoha Ninja.

He nodded quickly back at everyone, then turned to Naruto. "Plan?" he asked quickly.

Naruto clenched his fists, thinking. "Our priority is defense," he said, thinking. "But we also have to get them away as quickly and efficiently as possible. Any ideas?"

Sasuke blinked, and in an instant his Mangekyo Sharingan was active again. "Can we kill Zabuza?"

Naruto froze, then sighed. "No choice now. Try to leave Haku alive."

Sasuke nodded. "I can take Zabuza, then. But it'll have to be quick—compensating for my body takes a hell of a lot of Chakra."

Naruto nodded. "Tsukuyomi?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Not unless I get a great opportunity. I'm not good enough at it for it to be worth that much Chakra."

"Kakashi, Kurenai, what are you two up for right now?" Naruto asked quickly.

"I'm at pretty full strength," said Kakashi quickly. "So is Kurenai. Should we team up against the Dishonored?"

"No," said Naruto, shaking his head. "You two take Zabuza. Keep him alive if you can, but that's no longer a priority. Sasuke, you and I are on the Dishonored. Rest of you," he met Shino's hidden eyes. "Protect Tazuna. Look out—the Dishonored can Hiraishin."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "What?"

"He said, Teacher, that I can Hiraishin," said the Dishonored from right behind Tazuna.

Naruto leapt into action. There were no Hiraishin knives between the Dishonored and Tazuna, so he was forced to simply leap in between them, shoving Tazuna out of the way with his body. He met the Dishonored's downward slash with two kunai. For an instant, he held the blade away. It extended outward from his enemy's wrist like an extension of his arm, pointing straight forward.

Then Sasuke swung Kubikiriboucho with a battle cry. The blade met the Dishonored's armor, but Naruto knew that the Dishonored had allowed it.

The armored Ninja was faster than either him or Sasuke. He was stronger. He knew Hiraishin.

Naruto grimaced slightly. _If we fight him individually,_ he realized, _we're outmatched._

It was a frightening thought—that already they were facing an enemy stronger than themselves.

But he wasn't stronger, because they had teamwork.

In the instant after Sasuke struck the enemy, the blade, flicked away from Naruto's defense and slid into the hole in Kubikiriboucho. The Dishonored pulled and spun.

The sword flew out of Sasuke's grip. The blade whirled, forcing Naruto to duck. Then the Dishonored was gone in another Hiraishin. The entire exchange had taken perhaps four seconds.

Naruto felt his heart sink.

The enemy had teamwork too.

His eyes met Sasuke's and he knew his friend had come to the same realization. Sasuke shrugged grimly.

Naruto nodded, eyes narrowed. They had no choice but to fight him.

"How are you doing on Chakra?" he asked Sasuke quickly.

Sasuke shrugged. "I've got enough, but it won't last forever. I'm going to have to try Sage Mode."

Naruto looked at him worriedly. Sasuke had never mastered the Snake Sage Mode as fully as Naruto had mastered the Toad. It was all too possible that he would be turned to stone, as Naruto often had nearly done while training.

But Naruto had been with Fukasaku. Sasuke had no such luxury. Or did he?

"Try summoning them, then," said Naruto. "You're not using it alone."

Sasuke shrugged noncommittally. "They're all too likely to turn on us," he said. "You sure?"

Naruto growled. "They've got no choice but to help," he said, putting his hands together and popping his knuckles. Hje watched the Dishonored across from them as Sasuke performed the summoning jutsu. The man looked as smug as metal could—just watching them in what seemed like amusement.

Naruto wondered if he felt that he would lose nothing by letting them do this. What was he playing at?

His eyes flitted over to the water. Kakashi and Kurenai were fighting Zabuza there, and Zabuza was doing remarkably well. Kurenai's genjutsu was not particularly effective against him, and Kakashi's abilities held no surprise. As Naruto watched, Kakashi was forced to leap back as Zabuza swung Kubikiriboucho around in a deadly arc, nearly bisecting the white-haired Jounin.

Beside him there was a puff of smoke.

Naruto looked quizzically at the small, wizened old serpent at Sasuke's feet. It was black and, though clearly old, still sleek as any snake. Its eyes were a bright, venomous green, and shadowed in purple, reminiscent of Orochimaru himself.

The snake blinked a few times and then lunged at Sasuke, who snatched it out of the air by its neck. His other arm (his left) then grasped its tail firmly—likely to prevent it from being used in any sort of taijutsu.

"Stop whining, Hebika," muttered Sasuke. "Don't recognize me?"

"No," hissed the snake, Hebika, in serpentine fury. "Who are you, boy?"

"The Snake Sage," said Sasuke flatly. "Long story. I need to go into Sage Mode, and I can't be certain I'll be able to keep stable. I need your help."

"And why should I help you? Who do you think you are?" spat Hebika.

Sasuke glared at him. "I am Uchiha Sasuke," he growled. "I was trained by you and the White Snake Sage in Snake Senjutsu, a little less than five years from now. Before that I was Orochimaru's—you know him—apprentice, and then his killer. I've returned here from the future to right my wrongs, and you _will_ help me." Naruto saw his friend's eyes shift into the Eternal Mangekyo. "Tsukuyomi."

The snake screamed as best a snake could, but could not break eye contact with Sasuke. The Uchiha held its gaze for a full ten seconds before letting it fall limp. "I'll help you," it whispered. "Kami, what are you?"

Sasuke glared at its black length. "I don't know or care," he said flatly. "Swear on your fangs."

"I swear on my fangs that I will aid you in Senjutsu for this battle," Hebika whispered.

"Good," said Sasuke, placing it on his shoulder. He glared at the Dishonored with red eyes, whose pupils were beginning to develop a vertical slit superimposed over the Mangekyo sigil as he held still. "What are you waiting for, anyway?"

The Dishonored shrugged. "Much the same as you, Other," he chuckled. "Gathering Chakra."

Naruto focused his senses on their foe and found himself blanching in horror. "Sasuke…" he murmured worriedly. "He's got Sage Mode active."

"And Kyuubi Chakra mode," Sasuke observed as the Dishonored flashed golden.

The Dishonored eased himself into a Frog Kata fighting stance. "Two against one—such unfair odds," he snickered. "I had to even the odds somehow, no?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. _Kurama? _he asked within himself, quietly. _Are you alright?_

_I'll be fine,_ murmured Kurama, voice tight with pain. _Kami, it's been a long time since I felt real pain. But I have no time for self-pity, do I? Take my Chakra, Naruto._

Naruto nodded. _Thanks, furball. I'll see what I can do to help as soon as we're out of this._

He clapped his hands together, and all about him gathered the golden Chakra of the completed Kyuubi Chakra mode, the form that came with his friendship with Kurama. The Chakra garment it formed flapped about his neck as his eyes—containing both the slit of Kurama's Chakra and the horizontal bar of Toad Senjutsu—glared into the blue lenses behind which his enemy hid.

Beside him, Sasuke slid into a nearly-alien Taijutsu stance—Naruto had only seen it once before, when he faced Sasuke in the ruins of Konoha at the end of the future—which the Jinchuuriki recognized as that of the Dragon Kata—the Snake Sage's equivalent of the Frog Kata.

The Dishonored's skull-like mask was, of course, expressionless, but Naruto felt instinctively that he and Sasuke were being appraised. "Very well," said the armored Ninja, in an almost pleased voice. "If you are both quite finished pulling out the stops… we will begin in earnest."

* * *

**A/N: Like I said, trust me on the Dishonored's power. He's not OP, any more than makes sense. As to why he's using Kyuubi Chakra mode, think of it like this—the Nine Tails' Cloak is when Kurama thrusts his Chakra on his host, pushing his aggression and negativity into it. But the Dishonored has no Kyuubi to do that, so he can only use the Kyuubi mode. He can't use the complete Kyuubi mode, though, because he's not friends with Kurama; he doesn't even have Kurama inside him.**

**As to why he let Sasuke do all that, he was holding still all that while, gathering Nature Chakra for Sage Mode. Since he held still for so much longer, his Sage Mode will last longer than either Naruto's or Sasuke's, which you might do well to remember.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! Please review!**


	36. Chapter 35: Return

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait. I got stuck right at the last scene for a while. Here's your chapter.**

* * *

_Chapter 35: Return_

* * *

Naruto made the first move with a Hiraishin. Transferring himself to a kunai behind the Dishonored, he brought his arm about in a chakra-infused claw to the man's side.

The Dishonored didn't dodge—doing so would have opened the way for the Frog Kata's range enhancement. Instead, he whirled, grasping Naruto's wrist, and tried to fling the Jinchuuriki to his right.

Sasuke would have none of it. In the short time these two moves took, he had rushed forward, Sage Mode enhancing his speed. He raised himself up—poised, serpentine, to strike—but the Dishonored merely continued his spin.

Sasuke leapt upwards to avoid Naruto being thrown at him and dove, ready to hook his fingers into the place where the man's mask met the back of his helm.

_Take off the mask and he dies, _Sasuke thought desperately. He would deal with the painful aftermath of the revelation after the mask was off.

But the armored Shinobi was well aware of that weakness. He released Naruto, sending him flying down the bridge's length, and used a Hiraishin of his own to follow.

What followed was yet another battle of Hiraishin from which Sasuke was excluded, but this time he had a plan.

"What now?" Hebika muttered, who didn't. "You're useless here."

Sasuke didn't answer, instead keeping his Sharingan focused intently as he looked towards the Wave side of the bridge. The other Genin were watching him intently, worriedly.

They couldn't see what he saw. The Sharingan couldn't follow Hiraishin—there was no real motion, in the usual sense, to follow—but it _could _see the locations of the fighters while they remained there.

And Sasuke knew Naruto and the Dishonored both. He knew how they thought and fought. The Sharingan recognized patterns, and he was expecting them.

After a lull of only moments as Naruto occupied their foe, Sasuke charged, not at where the Dishonored was, but at where he would be.

His gamble paid off well. The Hiraishin moved so quickly, and the Dishonored was already so close to its limits, that when Sasuke struck him with a snake punch to the solar plexus, he had no time at all to react.

The armored Ninja flew back and Sasuke followed, unwilling to let the advantage go, but the man vanished.

Sasuke swore. _I should have aimed for his mask!_

He whirled. The Dishonored was standing at the other end of the bridge, quite unharmed. Even the armor was without a scratch.

"What the hell is that suit made of?" Naruto gasped beside Sasuke. Hiraishin took a great deal of Chakra, and though Naruto's reserves could handle a great deal more, it was taxing enough that he was breathing very heavily.

"Kuro no Hagane," Sasuke said flatly. Naruto turned to face him. "Black Steel. It's the material used in Chakra demodulators."

Naruto nodded. "A Rasengan could break that, though." He turned back to the Dishonored, but Sasuke shook his head.

"Not when it's reinforced by the best Fuuinjutsu the Akatsuki had access to," he said grimly. "This was the superweapon." He turned back to their enemy, who was watching them impassively—it was very difficult to be sure of the facial expressions of someone who hid behind a steel skull. "This was meant to be Akatsuki's greatest enforcer," he said quietly. "A stronger Ninja than any other that could ever be born or bred or made. I doubt anything could break that armor short of a direct hit from a…"

Naruto's eyes widened suddenly and he flung a shuriken. It phased through the Dishonored as though he wasn't there—which, Sasuke realized furiously, he wasn't.

They both whirled. Their enemy had sealed their Genin allies, snoring, in a Genjutsu. He was facing them now, and Sasuke's eyes widened as the man finished his sentence as he struck.

"Tailed Beast Ball." The words were spoken without emotion, and the back orb rushed towards them—too quickly.

_From that, yes. _Naruto could escape through Hiraishin, but if he tried to grab at Sasuke, the movement would cost him his life.

Sasuke registered all of that and knew it with the cold certainty that comes in the instant before death. He shook his head as quickly as he possibly could, shouting, "Go!" trying to get Naruto out in time, but it was no good—Naruto had always been an idealist. The blond stretched time, trying to grab at his friend, and Sasuke, knowing the futility, leaned towards him to grasp his hand.

Sasuke wondered idly as he channeled Chakra into his eyes, the energy moving sluggishly compared to everything else, if this was how dying always felt. Did everything slow down, constantly, until it eventually just came to a stop?

The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan formed slowly.

The Bjuu Dama edged closer.

The Susano'o inched towards solidity.

The Bijuu Dama was already inside its guard…

Hebika dispersed, along with Sasuke's Sage Mode, the permission unspoken but granted…

Sasuke gave in. His red eyes shut. Itachi's voice whispered in his ear, though Sasuke couldn't tell which side of his eardrum it came from. "Run, run, cling desperately to life…"

_Sorry, Nii-san,_ Sasuke's mind whispered, but there was no time even for his lips to form the words, so he didn't try.

Then, suddenly, just before he expected the destructive contact, there was an explosion of sound and force. He was flung backward. Naruto's hand met his, but there was no Hiraishin.

His eyes opened just as he hit the ground. He looked back towards the land.

There was a massive chasm where a part of the bridge had been. Wisps of residual black Chakra made themselves known to his Mangekyo. The Dishonored stood, unmoving, fists clenched. His Kyuubi Chakra was no longer active—whether disabled or spent, Sasuke didn't know, for the Bijuu Ball cost a great deal.

_What happened? _he wondered blankly. He sat up and turned. Naruto—Kurama's Chakra no longer forming a golden halo around him—mirrored the motion.

There, behind them, was Gaara, sand forming a cloak of power about him, hands still outstretched from the Bijuu Dama.

* * *

Kakashi dealt Zabuza one final blow—a Raikiri through the chest. The battle had been longer than he expected—Zabuza had been ready for most of his tactics and Kurenai's Genjutsu. Kakashi suspected the Dishonored, though how their armored foe knew their skillset so well was beyond him.

Zabuza coughed blood. "Damn," he whispered. "I guess two of Konoha's brightest was a bit much, ne?"

Kakshi met his gaze with iron and Sharingan. "I guess so," he said flatly. He pulled his hand out of his enemy's chest cavity as the former Mist-nin began to sink, fluctuating Chakra keeping him from dropping all at once.

Kakashi dispassionately grasped the still-gasping Missing-nin's arm and turned towards Kurenai. "You all right?" he asked.

She was breathing heavily—and his Sharingan caught every detail of how interestingly her chest moved, which caused him at once to privately bless and damn Jiraiya's soul—but she nodded.

He nodded back, relieved. Zabuza was a dangerous man, and they'd taken him down with nothing worse than a slash across Kakashi's forearm.

The former ANBU turned to the bridge, where his students—most likely stronger than he was—were fighting an even worse foe. He was worried, he would admit.

He froze as he saw the two black orbs collide, one coming in at an angle from above, the other moving directly along the bridge. He saw the massive flux of Chakra as two of one of the densest possible masses of the mysterious energy crushed one another.

He saw the portion of the bridge literally disintegrate under them.

_Definitely stronger than me,_ was his only thought amidst a sea of fear for his pupils.

Without a word, both he and Kurenai leapt up onto the bridge in a single, Chakra-infused bound.

When he saw his students alive and unscathed, though grounded, he sighed in relief. Then he noticed the other two behind them.

The redheaded boy's eyes found his, held them for a moment, and then he looked back at the Dishonored. The blonde of comparable age (a year or two older than Naruto and Sasuke), on the other hand, glared at him defensively, as if challenging him to say something about their presence.

He blinked and turned to the Dishonored. The man didn't even look at him, occupied as he was by the redhead. "Fine," he said flatly. "You are fresh, and I am not. I am outmatched."

He snapped his fingers and the Genjutsu that Kakashi had subconsciously noticed over the other Genin and over Tazuna lifted.

The Dishonored turned to Zabuza, whose breathing was wet with blood. "I am sorry, Zabuza-san," he said quietly. "I would help if I could."

Zabuza bared red teeth but nodded painfully.

The Dishonored looked around and then formed a Ram seal. "You may have triumphed on the field of battle for a day, Fool," he said, and Kakashi knew he was speaking to Naruto. "But there is no victory for you. There cannot be—not while you can't even answer your own question."

The redhead sighed, and the sand at his feet stirred about him. "The question of peace."

The Dishonored nodded. "While you and yours have no answer," he said flatly, "We will always triumph. And so we will always triumph."

"How do you figure?" Naruto asked, standing and glaring at the armored Ninja.

The Dishonored chuckled coldly. "Because there is no answer."

And then he was gone with an unmistakable Hiraishin.

* * *

"Gaara!" Naruto embraced his old friend. "It's been forever!"

Gaara frowned slightly and nodded. "Indeed. I have missed you, Naruto."

Naruto saw Sasuke watching the girl on Gaara's left. He looked at her himself. Then his eyes widened. "Nii Yugito!" he said, laughing. "Last time I saw you, you were dead! This is great!"

Now Gaara was staring at him, an unreadable expression on his face. It seemed like surprise. "The last time _you_…?"

Yugito snorted. "Kurama's likely been assimilating his memories directly. It makes sense, even if it's not exactly the best solution."

_Matatabi,_ said Kurama's voice inside all of their heads. _Then I'm not the only one back here?_

_One of nine,_ said the silky, feline voice of the two-tailed cat. _How have you been?_

_Well,_ said Kurama courteously. Naruto laughed at the sharp change from his treatment of humans. _Now, please rein in your Jinchuuriki. That was, however unintentional, an insult to me and to my relations with Naruto—I don't appreciate the remark._

_So the boy used the ritual too? _The voice was high-pitched and rasping, just as Naruto remembered, but it seemed to have gained some new semblance of sanity.

_Yep,_ said Naruto, maintaining the mental conversation. _So your Shukaku? Does that mean you're…uh…_

_Sane?_ Said Gaara with a dry internal chuckle. _We've been trying. Suna has a tradition of horrible seals, where the personalities of Jinchuuriki and Bijuu merge and blend together. They begin to drive one another mad, and Shukaku has come out of it quite the worse for wear. I've been trying to work through it with him._

_Cool! _Naruto said, laughing aloud. _Bijuu therapy, huh? Hey, Kurama, why don't we try that with you?_

_Two reasons,_ growled the Fox. _I don't need it and I'll make your life hell if you try._

Naruto was about to reply when the inevitable interruption came.

"Are you two okay? What happened?" Sakura gushed as she rushed up to them. Naruto turned and saw that the girl was staring at Sasuke in worry, and Hinata wore a similar expression behind her—directed, thankfully, at him. "Who are these two?"

"Never mind that now," said Gaara, turning away. "Suffice to say our mission is complete. We will speak again—soon."

"Yep!" Naruto said, grinning. "See you soon! It's great to see you!"

Gaara nodded, truning his head to look at Naruto out of the corner of his eye. "Yes, it has been pleasant, Naruto. We will have to talk. There is much to do."

"But not now," Yugito muttered, glaring balefully at Sasuke. "We've got to get going—San will be worried."

Gaara nodded. "Indeed. Good bye, Naruto, Sasuke."

"Wait! Who are you two? What are you doing here?" Kakashi was only doing his job, Naruto knew, but this really wasn't the place.

Gaara turned back and looked at him. "Neither of us is here in the most strictly official capacity," he said flatly. "Please, do not think of us as agents for a village. We are agents now only for ourselves and our… kind."

"Your kind?" Kurenai asked cautiously.

"Jinchuuriki," Yugito spat. "Let's go, Ichi."

Gaara nodded. "Good day," he said. And then he was gone.

There was a moment of silence as the knowledge of a victory sank in. Then Naruto turned back towards the land.

There stood Gatou and his men, just as he remembered—with the exception that the lot of them looked absolutely terrified.

He looked at Zabuza's dying body and Haku's unconscious one. _Perhaps it's for the best,_ he thought. _Haku can learn to be his own man now._

He turned back to Gatou. "Screw you," he called.

He tensed, ready to leap…

…and then slowly, like an origami crane being crushed by an unstoppable weight, collapsed. The battle, really, was over.

* * *

**A/N: All right! I hope you all enjoyed that!**

**Now, I have an important question. Canonically, how does Kurama address Naruto? I know it's not Kit, and I also know people REALLY hate my using that word. So let me know what the actual word is and I'll replace it. Thanks!**

**Please review!**


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